1.
frost pillars; ice needles
needle-like ice crystals that form in soil when moisture in the ground freezes and pushes up through the surface
霜柱を踏むとサクサクと音がする。
When you step on frost pillars, they make a crunchy sound.
今朝は冷え込んで霜柱ができていた。
It was so cold this morning that frost pillars had formed.
子供の頃は霜柱を踏むのが好きだった。
When I was a child, I liked stepping on frost pillars.
WINTER PHENOMENON:
霜柱 forms when:
1. The ground temperature is below freezing
2. The air temperature is slightly above freezing
3. Moisture in the soil freezes and expands upward
APPEARANCE:
霜柱 looks like small ice needles or pillars pushing up from the soil. They can lift small rocks and soil particles.
CHILDHOOD MEMORY:
Stepping on 霜柱 and hearing the satisfying crunch is a nostalgic winter experience for many Japanese people.
FORMATION CONDITIONS:
- Clear, cold winter nights
- Exposed soil (not covered by snow)
- Adequate soil moisture
- Common from late autumn to early spring
RELATED:
- 霜 - frost
- 氷 - ice
- 凍る - to freeze
- つらら - icicle