Japanese Symbol for
雷kaminari
lightning · thunder · thunderbolt
Readings
Meaning
Thunder, lightning. 雷 (kaminari) covers both thunder and lightning — the name literally means "god-sound" (神鳴り). 稲妻 (inazuma) specifically means a lightning flash — literally "rice-wife," as lightning was believed to fertilize the rice crop.
Example words
稲妻
inazuma
lightning bolt, lightning flash
雷神
raijin
thunder god
雷鳴
raimei
thunder (the sound)
落雷
rakurai
lightning strike, thunderbolt
雷同
raidō
following others blindly (echo-thunder)
青天の霹靂
seiten no hekireki
bolt from the blue, sudden shock
雷神 (Raijin — thunder god) and 風神 (Fūjin — wind god) are twin deities depicted in Japan's most famous pair of paintings — the 17th-century 風神雷神図 (Fūjin Raijin-zu) by Tawaraya Sōtatsu. Raijin is shown as a demon surrounded by drums, beating them to create thunder. The phrase 青天の霹靂 (seiten no hekireki — bolt from the blue) means a sudden, shocking surprise.
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