1.
lingering snow; permanent snowpack; snow that remains until spring
Snow that accumulates on the ground and does not melt until the following spring. Common in snowy regions of Japan such as Hokkaido and the Japan Sea side of Honshu.
根雪がまだ残っている。
The lingering snow still remains.
十二月に降った雪が根雪になった。
The snow that fell in December became lingering snow.
北海道では例年、十一月下旬から根雪が始まり、四月まで続く。
In Hokkaido, lingering snow typically starts in late November and lasts until April.
A seasonal term closely tied to Japan's snowy regions. Once snow becomes 根雪, it signals the beginning of the long winter and the landscape remains white until the thaw in spring.
FORMATION:
根 (root, base) + 雪 (snow) — snow that has "taken root" on the ground.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 根雪になる: to become permanent snow cover
- 根雪が溶ける: for the lingering snow to melt
- 根雪が始まる: for the permanent snow cover to begin
CULTURAL NOTE:
In snowy areas of Japan, the first snowfall that becomes 根雪 is a significant seasonal marker. Weather reports in these regions track when 根雪 begins and ends each year.
RELATED TERMS:
- 初雪: first snowfall of the season
- 残雪: remaining snow (in spring) — overlaps with 根雪 but 残雪 focuses on the melting phase
- 万年雪: perennial snow (on mountaintops year-round)