暑さ
atsusa[a̠t͡sɨsa̠]
The Japanese phrase for hot weather is 暑さ (atsusa), which refers to the state or condition of the air being hot.
暑さ is used to describe the heat or the state of hot weather.
Which one should you use?
Use 暑さ when referring to hot weather or air temperature. However, do not use it to describe the heat of an object or food. For those situations, you would use 熱さ (also pronounced atsusa, but written with a different kanji). In the phrase 暑い天気, the word tenki means weather.
How does it change in a sentence?
While 暑さ is the noun for 'the heat', the adjective 暑い is more commonly used in daily conversation to say 'the weather is hot'.
How do you pronounce it?
atsusa
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 暑さ to describe the temperature of an object or food. Instead, use 熱さ.
Did you know?
- The Japanese have a specific word, mushi-atsui, to describe 'humid heat'. This distinguishes the sticky, oppressive 暑さ of summer from a dry heat.
- In many Japanese contexts, describing the 暑さ is not just a weather report but a way to express shared physical discomfort or empathy toward others.
- When expressing how much the heat is bothering you, you might use 暑さ alongside verbs like 'to strike' or 'to hit', treating the weather as a physical force.
Examples in context
- 暑いの苦手なんで、この暑さにはほんと参るわぁ。I don't like hot weather, so this heat's really getting to me.This sentence is useful for expressing how the 暑さ is affecting you.Tatoeba #10682195 by small_snow, translation #10752461 by CK
- 日本の夏は暑くて湿度が高いです。Summers in Japan are hot and humid.
- 今年の暑さは異常ですね。Kotoshi no atsusa wa ijō desu ne.This year's hot weather is abnormal.
- 暑さで体がだるいです。Atsusa de karada ga darui desu.I feel sluggish due to the hot weather.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are walking outside on a summer day.
- 陽太 Yota今日の暑さは異常だね。Kyō no atsusa wa ijō da ne.Today's hot weather is unusual, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。外にいるのがしんどいよ。Hontō ni. Soto ni iru no ga shindoi yo.Really. It's exhausting to be outside.
- 陽太 Yotaあそこの店で冷たい飲み物を買おうか。Asoko no mise de tsumetai nomimono o kaō ka.Shall we buy some cold drinks at that shop over there?
- 美咲 Misaki賛成！早く中に入りたいな。Sansei! Hayaku naka ni hairitai na.I agree! I want to go inside quickly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 暑さ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
