雨

• Pinyin: yǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 雨 = pictograph of raindrops falling from the sky; also a radical in weather characters

Meaning

Rain. Refers to water falling from the sky as precipitation.

A fundamental weather noun used in daily conversation and many compound words such as 下雨 (to rain), 雨天 (rainy day), and 雨伞 (umbrella). Also serves as a radical (雨字头) in many weather-related characters like 雪, 雷, and 霜.

Examples

1. 今天要下雨。 It's going to rain today.
2. 雨很大，我们等一会儿吧。 The rain is heavy; let's wait a moment.
3. 下雨了，你带伞了吗？ It's raining. Did you bring an umbrella?

Usage Guide

Context: weather, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 明天可能有雨。(It might rain tomorrow.)
• 雨停了，我们走吧。(The rain has stopped, let's go.)

Don't Say

• 今天很雨。(Incorrect — 雨 is a noun, not an adjective. Say 今天雨很大 or 今天下雨了)

Origin & History

A pictograph depicting raindrops falling from a cloud. One of the oldest Chinese characters, found on oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal