1.
to swoop down, to descend gracefully, to flutter down
To come down from above in a light, graceful manner. Used for birds landing, snow falling gently, or angels descending. Conveys elegance or lightness in the descent, unlike plain 降りる which is neutral.
鷹が舞い降りてきた。
A hawk swooped down.
雪が静かに舞い降りる夜だった。
It was a night when snow was gently falling.
白鳥が湖の水面にゆっくりと舞い降りる姿は美しかった。
The sight of the swan gracefully descending onto the surface of the lake was beautiful.
CONJUGATION:
Ichidan verb (一段). 舞い降りる → 舞い降りない → 舞い降りて → 舞い降りた
USAGE:
A compound verb combining 舞う (to dance, to flutter) and 降りる (to descend). The 舞う component adds a sense of lightness and grace to the descent. Often used in literary or poetic contexts. Common subjects include birds, snow, leaves, and angels.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 鳥が舞い降りる: a bird swoops down
- 雪が舞い降りる: snow flutters down
- 天使が舞い降りる: an angel descends