How to Say "Thunderstorm" in Japanese

雷雨

raiu[ɾa̠iɯ̟]

The English word 'thunderstorm' is translated into Japanese as 雷雨 (raiu).

雷雨 is used to describe a meteorological event involving both thunder and rain.

Meaning: storm with thunder and lightning (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of the characters for thunder/lightning (雷) and rain (雨).

raiu

The word 雷 can be used in the phrase 雷を落とす to mean 'to scold someone severely', rather than talking about an actual 雷雨.
Japanese has a specific word 夕立 for a sudden evening thunderstorm, which is a romanticized and common theme in summer literature.
While English speakers say 'it is thundering', Japanese speakers are more likely to say 雷が鳴っている (kaminari ga natte iru), which literally translates to 'thunder is ringing'.

２時間ほど前から雷雨のため連絡が断たれている。
Communications have been cut off for two hours because of a thunderstorm.
This sentence is useful for showing how a thunderstorm can cause a loss of communication.
Tatoeba #235491 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #72869 by CK
花火大会は雷雨のため開始30分で中止になった。
The fireworks show was suspended after 30 minutes due to the thunderstorm.
This sentence is useful for illustrating how a thunderstorm can lead to the cancellation of an event.
Tatoeba #2624283 by tommy_san, translation #2629817 by WestofEden
今日の夜は雷雨になるかもしれません。
The weather might become a thunderstorm tonight.
昨夜は激しい雷雨でした。
Sakuya wa hageshii raiu deshita.
It was a heavy thunderstorm last night.

Yota and Yui are looking at the dark clouds outside.

陽太 Yota

空が暗いね。雷雨になりそうだ。
Sora ga kurai ne. Raiu ni narisou da.
The sky is dark. It looks like a thunderstorm is coming.
結衣 Yui

本当だ。急いで家に帰ろう。
Hontou da. Isoide ie ni kaerou.
You're right. Let's hurry home.
陽太 Yota

傘を持っている？
Kasa o motte iru?
Do you have an umbrella?
結衣 Yui

うん、持っているよ。
Un, motte iru yo.
Yes, I have one.

Sources

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