初 雪(はつゆき)

はつゆき

noun

first snow of the season

1. first snow of the season

The first snowfall of the winter season in a given area. An event that is often reported in the news and marks the arrival of winter.

今朝(けさ)、初雪(はつゆき)が降(ふ)った。

The first snow of the season fell this morning.

東京(とうきょう)で初雪(はつゆき)が観測(かんそく)された。

The first snow of the season was observed in Tokyo.

今年(ことし)の初雪(はつゆき)は例年(れいねん)より遅(おそ)く、12月(がつ)に入(はい)ってからだった。

This year's first snow came later than usual, not until December.

Part of a group of seasonal "first" words using 初(はつ):

初日(はつひ)の出(で) (first sunrise of the new year)
初夢(はつゆめ) (first dream of the new year)
初霜(はつしも) (first frost of the season)

The first snow is announced officially by local meteorological observatories and is often treated as a seasonal news event.

Common collocations

初雪(はつゆき)が降(ふ)る (the first snow falls)
初雪(はつゆき)を観測(かんそく)する (observe the first snow)
初雪(はつゆき)が早(はや)い / 遅(おそ)い (the first snow is early / late)

Related Words

Related: 大雪(おおゆき) (heavy snow)

Compare: 粉雪(こなゆき) (powder snow, fine snow)

Compare: 淡雪(あわゆき) (light snow)

Related: 初霜(はつしも) (first frost of the season)

Related: 根雪(ねゆき) (lingering snow)

general

Added 2026.2.18 8:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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