冷汗(れいかん)

Composed of 冷(れい) (cold) and 汗(かん) (sweat). The more colloquial form is 冷(ひ)や汗(あせ) (ひやあせ), which is far more common in everyday speech. 冷汗(れいかん) tends to appear in written or more formal contexts.

Common collocations

• 冷汗(れいかん)をかく: to break out in a cold sweat
• 冷汗(れいかん)が出(で)る: cold sweat comes out
• 冷汗(れいかん)三斗(さんと): sweating profusely from fear (idiomatic)

Similar words

• 冷(ひ)や汗(あせ): cold sweat — the colloquial equivalent, much more common in speech
• 脂汗(あぶらあせ): clammy/greasy sweat — sweat from extreme pain or distress
• 寝汗(ねあせ): night sweat — perspiration during sleep

Note on readings

Do not confuse with 霊感(れいかん) (spiritual sensitivity/inspiration), which is a homophone.