霰 (xiàn) - Sleet & graupel

霰Tone 4

xiàn ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

霰 · xiàn

Sleet;

graupel;

small ice pellets that fall from the sky during certain winter weather conditions.

Sleetgraupelsmall ice pellets that fall from the sky

Usage highlights

Sleet fallingSleet soundSleet stormSleet formationSleet precipitationSleet weather

Synonyms

  • 雪珠— snow pellets (alternative term for sleet)
  • 冰粒— ice pellets

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The weather forecast predicted sleet (霰) for tomorrow.
  • We heard the sound of sleet hitting the roof (霰音).
  • Sleet forms when snowflakes melt and refreeze (霰的形成).
  • The sudden sleet storm surprised everyone (霰风暴).

Collocations

  • Sleet falling(落霰)
  • Sleet sound(霰音)
  • Sleet storm(霰风暴)
  • Sleet formation(霰形成)
  • Sleet precipitation(霰降水)
  • Sleet weather(霰天气)

Idioms

  • Sleet and snow mixed together(霰雪交加)
  • Sleet falling profusely(霰落纷纷)
  • Sleet hitting the window(霰打窗棂)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese poetry, sleet often appears as a metaphor for sudden, brief, or scattered events.
  • Sleet is considered an intermediate form between rain and snow in traditional Chinese meteorology.
  • The character contains the rain radical (雨), indicating its connection to atmospheric phenomena.

FAQ