Weather is one of the most common conversation topics in any language. In Japanese, weather words are also closely tied to the four seasons — a subject the Japanese are particularly fond of. Click any word to hear it.
Weather Conditions 天気の表現#
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|
| 晴れ | はれ | hare | Sunny / Clear |
| 曇り | くもり | kumori | Cloudy |
| 雨 | あめ | ame | Rain |
| 雪 | ゆき | yuki | Snow |
| 風 | かぜ | kaze | Wind |
| 嵐 | あらし | arashi | Storm |
| 雷 | かみなり | kaminari | Thunder / Lightning |
| 霧 | きり | kiri | Fog / Mist |
| 台風 | たいふう | taifuu | Typhoon |
| 虹 | にじ | niji | Rainbow |
Temperature 気温・感覚#
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|
| 暑い | あつい | atsui | Hot (weather) |
| 寒い | さむい | samui | Cold (weather) |
| 暖かい | あたたかい | atatakai | Warm |
| 涼しい | すずしい | suzushii | Cool / Refreshing |
| 蒸し暑い | むしあつい | mushiatsui | Humid / Muggy |
| 気温 | きおん | kion | Temperature (air) |
Note: 暑い (atsui) means hot weather or the air. 熱い (atsui) — same pronunciation — means hot to the touch (food, water, objects). Context tells you which one is meant.
The Four Seasons 四季#
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|
| 春 | はる | haru | Spring |
| 夏 | なつ | natsu | Summer |
| 秋 | あき | aki | Autumn / Fall |
| 冬 | ふゆ | fuyu | Winter |
| 梅雨 | つゆ | tsuyu | Rainy Season |
Culture: Japan has a rainy season (梅雨 tsuyu) from mid-June to mid-July, particularly in Honshu. The word 梅雨 literally means “plum rain” — named for when plums ripen. Typhoon season follows in August–October.
Useful Phrases 使える表現#
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|
| 今日の天気はどうですか？ | kyou no tenki wa dou desu ka? | What's the weather like today? |
| 雨が降っています。 | ame ga futte imasu. | It's raining. |
| 雪が降るかもしれません。 | yuki ga furu kamoshiremasen. | It might snow. |
| 今日はいい天気ですね。 | kyou wa ii tenki desu ne. | It's nice weather today, isn't it. |
| 傘を持っていきます。 | kasa wo motte ikimasu. | I'll take an umbrella. |
| 寒くなってきましたね。 | samuku natte kimashita ne. | It's gotten cold, hasn't it. |