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Definition 2025

稲妻

稲妻

Japanese

稲妻 (inazuma): lightning, especially cloud-to-ground lightning.
Kanji in this term
稲 妻
いな
Grade: S 		つま > ずま
Grade: 5

Alternative forms

Noun

稲妻 ‎(hiragana いなずま, romaji inazuma, historical hiragana いなづま)

  1. lightning, a lightning bolt

Synonyms

References

  1. 1 2 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  2. 1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
  3. 1 2 3 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, ISBN 4-09-501211-0

Etymology

Compound of 稲 ‎(ina, “rice plant”, ancient bound-form reading of modern ine) +‎ 妻 ‎(tsuma, “wife, spouse”) or 夫 ‎(tsuma, “husband, spouse”).[1][2][3]The tsuma changes to zuma as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

A belief in ancient times was that rice plants would mate with or otherwise be fertilized by lightning,[1][2][3] a frequent occurrence in the late summer and autumn when rice plants come to fruition.[3]

Pronunciation

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