(そこび)

そこびえ
noun
bone-chilling cold
weather
1. bone-chilling cold; piercing cold
a deep, penetrating cold that seems to chill from the core, often associated with damp cold weather
Kyoto winters have a bone-chilling cold.
今日(きょう)底冷(そこび)する(さむ)だ。
Today has a bone-chilling coldness.
The cold is so piercing that it chills you from your feet up.

Forms

(そこ) (bottom, depths) + () (coldness) → cold from the bottom/depths

Characteristics

底冷(そこび)え typically describes:

  • Damp cold rather than dry cold
  • Cold that penetrates through clothing
  • Cold that affects the core of the body

Kyoto cold

Kyoto is famous for its 底冷(そこび)え because the basin geography traps cold, humid air. The expression "(きょう)底冷(そこび)え" is well-known.

Usage

Common with する: 底冷(そこび)する (to have bone-chilling cold)