What does 雪 mean in Japanese?
雪 means snow, the winter partner of 雨 (rain) under the same weather radical.
Its kun’yomi ゆき (yuki) is the everyday word (雪が降る = it snows), while the on’yomi セツ appears in compounds like 新雪 (しんせつ, fresh snow) and 積雪 (せきせつ, accumulated snow).
Reading
On’yomi: セツ (setsu)
Kun’yomi: ゆき (yuki)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 雪 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | snow |
| Stroke Count | 11 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
雪 sits under the 雨 (rain) radical, the mark of falling-weather kanji, which makes its meaning easy to place next to 雨 and 雲. ゆき is warm and everyday, appearing in 雪だるま (snowman) and 雪国 (snow country), while セツ feels more written or technical (新雪, 積雪). Snow carries strong seasonal and regional color in Japan, especially for the north.
Common Words
- 雪（ゆき / yuki） — snow
- 大雪（おおゆき / ooyuki） — heavy snow
- 雪国（ゆきぐに / yukiguni） — snow country
- 初雪（はつゆき / hatsuyuki） — the first snow of the season
- 新雪（しんせつ / shinsetsu） — fresh snow
- 雪だるま（ゆきだるま / yukidaruma） — snowman
Example Sentences
-
今朝から雪が降っています。
けさからゆきがふっています。 / Kesa kara yuki ga futte imasu.
It has been snowing since this morning.
-
北海道は雪が多いです。
ほっかいどうはゆきがおおいです。 / Hokkaidou wa yuki ga ooi desu.
There is a lot of snow in Hokkaido.
-
子供たちが雪だるまを作りました。
こどもたちがゆきだるまをつくりました。 / Kodomotachi ga yukidaruma o tsukurimashita.
The children made a snowman.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with ゆき and the verb pattern 雪が降る (it snows) / 雪が積もる (snow piles up). The on’yomi セツ appears in written weather words such as 新雪 and 積雪. Group 雪 with the other 雨-radical weather kanji you know: 雨 (rain), 雲 (cloud), 雪 (snow). Take care writing the bottom part (ヨ-shaped) under the 雨 radical.
Summary
雪 means snow: ゆき in everyday weather talk, セツ in written compounds like 新雪.