1.
praying for clear weather; wishing for good weather
The practice of praying or wishing for clear, fair weather, especially before important outdoor events. In Japanese folk tradition, this includes making てるてる坊主 (handmade paper dolls hung to wish for sunshine).
運動会の前日に晴れ乞いをした。
I prayed for clear weather the day before the sports day.
てるてる坊主を作るのは日本の晴れ乞いの習慣だ。
Making teru teru bozu dolls is a Japanese custom for wishing for clear weather.
結婚式が近いので、毎日晴れ乞いの気持ちで天気予報を見ている。
With the wedding approaching, I check the weather forecast every day with a prayer for sunshine.
Composed of 晴れ (clear weather) and 乞い (wishing, praying for), from the verb 乞う (to beg, to pray for). The counterpart is 雨乞い (praying for rain), which historically was a more serious agricultural ritual. 晴れ乞い is typically lighter in tone and associated with personal hopes for good weather.
The most iconic 晴れ乞い practice in Japan is making てるてる坊主 — small white paper or cloth dolls hung by a window or eaves to wish for sunshine.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 晴れ乞いをする: to pray for clear weather
- 晴れ乞いの気持ち: a wish for good weather
- 晴れ乞いのおまじない: a charm for good weather
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 雨乞い: rain prayer — praying for rain, historically a serious agricultural ritual during droughts
- てるてる坊主: teru teru bozu — a handmade doll hung to wish for good weather