1.
cold sweat; breaking out in a cold sweat
Perspiration caused by fear, anxiety, nervousness, or a close call rather than by heat or exertion.
冷や汗をかいた。
I broke out in a cold sweat.
危ないところで冷汗が出た。
I broke into a cold sweat at the close call.
上司に呼び出されたとき、冷汗が止まらなかった。
When I was called in by my boss, the cold sweat wouldn't stop.
Composed of 冷 (cold) and 汗 (sweat). The more colloquial form is 冷や汗 (ひやあせ), which is far more common in everyday speech. 冷汗 tends to appear in written or more formal contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 冷汗をかく: to break out in a cold sweat
- 冷汗が出る: cold sweat comes out
- 冷汗三斗: sweating profusely from fear (idiomatic)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 冷や汗: cold sweat — the colloquial equivalent, much more common in speech
- 脂汗: clammy/greasy sweat — sweat from extreme pain or distress
- 寝汗: night sweat — perspiration during sleep
NOTE ON READINGS:
Do not confuse with 霊感 (spiritual sensitivity/inspiration), which is a homophone.