1.
cold snap; sharp drop in temperature; severe chill
A sudden or intense drop in temperature, typically referring to weather becoming noticeably cold.
朝の冷え込みが厳しい。
The morning chill is severe.
今夜は冷え込みが予想されます。
A cold snap is expected tonight.
放射冷却の影響で、内陸部は厳しい冷え込みとなるでしょう。
Due to radiative cooling, inland areas will experience a severe cold snap.
2.
cooling; downturn; deterioration
A figurative cooling or worsening of a relationship, economy, or situation.
景気の冷え込みが続いている。
The economic downturn continues.
両国の関係に冷え込みが見られる。
A cooling is observed in the relations between the two countries.
消費の冷え込みにより、小売業の売上が落ちている。
Due to the cooling of consumer spending, retail sales are declining.
The noun form of the compound verb 冷え込む (to get intensely cold). The 込む suffix adds a sense of thoroughness or depth — the cold penetrates deeply.
USAGE:
In weather contexts (sense 1), extremely common in forecasts and everyday conversation during autumn and winter. The figurative sense (sense 2) is standard in news and commentary about economic downturns or diplomatic cooling.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 冷え込みが厳しい — the cold snap is severe
- 朝晩の冷え込み — morning and evening chill
- 景気の冷え込み — economic downturn
- 消費の冷え込み — decline in consumer spending
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 寒さ — coldness (general, simple)
- 冷え — chill, coldness (simpler form, also used for body chills)
- 低迷 — stagnation, slump (for economy/business, no temperature sense)