湿度
shitsudo[ɕi̥t͡sɨdo̞]
湿度 (shitsudo) is the Japanese word for humidity.
湿度 refers to the amount of water vapour in the air. When describing the level of humidity, Japanese speakers use the adjectives 高い (high) or 低い (low) rather than saying the humidity is "big" or "small".
Meaning: amount of water vapour in the air (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 湿度 is composed of two parts: 湿, meaning wet or moist and 度, meaning degree or level.
How do you pronounce it?
shitsudo
Did you know?
- Japanese culture has a traditional practice called 梅雨 or 'plum rain', a distinct rainy season characterized by extremely high 湿度. It is named so because the rains coincide with the ripening of plums.
- In Japan, the concept of humidity is so central to daily life that many weather forecasts provide a 不快指数 or 'discomfort index'. This calculation uses 湿度 and temperature to predict how 'unpleasant' the air feels.
- While 湿度 is the technical term, the word 湿っぽさ (shimepposa) can be used to describe not just a damp room, but also a person's 'gloomy' or 'heavy' emotional atmosphere.
Examples in context
- 日本の夏は、湿度が高い。In Japan, the humidity is high in the summer.This sentence is useful for describing the humidity levels in Japan during the summer using 湿度.Tatoeba #11856068 by small_snow, translation #11856059 by taro
- 湿度が80パーセントだって？蒸し暑いはずだよ。The humidity is 80%?! It must be really humid!This sentence uses 湿度 to express how a high humidity percentage relates to feeling muggy.Tatoeba #978629 by bunbuku, translation #1164642 by Chrikaru
- 気温が低くて湿度が潤沢な気候があればといつも思います。I always wish we had a climate with cooler temperatures and ample humidity.This sentence uses 湿度 to express a wish for a climate with ample humidity.Tatoeba #10079756 by Sim5634, translation #10906185 by SomeHungryBois
- 湿度の高い暑さHigh humidity heat
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are checking the weather forecast at home.
- 結衣 Yui今日の湿度は高いかな？Kyō no shitsudo wa takai kana?I wonder if the humidity is high today?
- 健太 Kenta予報ではかなり高いみたいだよ。Yohō dewa kanari takai mitai da yo.According to the forecast, it seems quite high.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、除湿機を出したほうがいいね。Jā, joshitsuki o dashita hō ga ii ne.In that case, we should get the dehumidifier out.
- 健太 Kentaそうだね、結衣。準備しておこう。Sō da ne, Yui. Junbi shite okō.You're right, Yui. Let's get it ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humidity” translations and entries 湿度, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
