逃(に)げ水(みず)

にげみず
noun
road mirage; heat mirage
nature
1. road mirage; heat mirage
A shimmering illusion of water on a hot road or field that recedes as you approach it, caused by heated air bending light near the surface.
夏(なつ)の道(みち)に逃(に)げ水(みず)が見(み)えた。
A road mirage appeared on the summer road.
遠(とお)くの道路(どうろ)に逃(に)げ水(みず)が光(ひか)っている。
A mirage is shimmering on the distant road.
近(ちか)づいても逃(に)げ水(みず)はどんどん遠(とお)ざかっていく。
Even as you approach, the road mirage keeps receding into the distance.

An optical illusion in which hot air just above a road surface bends light, so a patch of 'water' seems to lie ahead and flee (逃(に)げる) as one approaches. A common summer sight on paved roads.

Common collocations

  • 逃(に)げ水(みず)が見(み)える: a road mirage appears
  • 逃(に)げ水(みず)を追(お)う: to chase a mirage (also figurative: to pursue something unattainable)
general
Added 2026.7.21 9:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
29500/29993_nigemizu