雷鳴
raimei[ɾa̠ime̞ː]
The English phrase "thunderclap" is translated into Japanese as 雷鳴 (raimei).
雷鳴 refers to a thunderclap or the sound of thunder. While it can refer to the sound of thunder generally, it is often used in literary or descriptive contexts to emphasize the sound itself.
Meaning: sudden thunder (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 雷鳴 is composed of the characters for 'thunder' (雷) and 'sound' (鳴).
Which one should you use?
雷鳴 is a specific term for the sound, whereas the single character 雷 (kaminari) is the more common, everyday way to refer to thunder or lightning in conversation. For a more expressive or informal effect, speakers use onomatopoeia: ゴロゴロ (goro goro) mimics the sound of thunder rolling, while ドン！ (don!) represents the loud, sudden sound of a thunderclap.
How do you pronounce it?
raimei
Did you know?
- The onomatopoeia ゴロゴロ (goro goro) used for rolling thunder is also the standard way to describe a cat's purr in Japanese.
- The sound of thunder is often associated with the phrase 雷様 (Kaminari-sama), adding a respectful suffix to thunder as if it were a person or deity.
- In Japanese mythology, the god of thunder, 雷神 (Raijin), is often depicted carrying a circle of drums to create 雷鳴.
Examples in context
- 私は雷鳴にぎょっとした。I was taken aback by a thunderclap.This sentence is useful for showing how one might react to being startled by the sound of 雷鳴.Tatoeba #152379 by bunbuku, translation #262171 by Dejo
- 激しい雷鳴が聞こえる。Hageshii raimei ga kikoeru.I can hear intense thunder.
- 雷鳴が響いた。Raimei ga hibiita.The thunderclap echoed.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are walking home during a storm.
- 蓮 Ren今の雷鳴、すごく大きかったね。Ima no raimei, sugoku ookikatta ne.That thunderclap just now was really loud, wasn't it?
- 結衣 Yui本当だね。びっくりしたよ。Hontou da ne. Bikkuri shita yo.It really was. You startled me.
- 蓮 Ren急いで家に帰ろう。Isoide ie ni kaerou.Let's hurry home.
- 結衣 Yuiそうだね。走ろう！Sou da ne. Hashirou!You're right. Let's run!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 雷鳴, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
