雪崩

• Reading: なだれ
• Romaji: nadare
• Kanji breakdown: 雪 (yuki/setsu) — snow; 崩 (hō/kuzure) — collapse, crumble
• Pronunciation: /na.da.ɾe/

Meaning

Avalanche; snowslide. A mass of snow suddenly detaching from a mountain slope and rushing downward with great force.

A compound noun combining 雪 (snow) and the sense of 崩れ (collapse), though in this reading the 崩 character is pronounced as part of the native reading なだれ. Avalanches are a serious winter hazard in Japan's mountainous regions, particularly in the Japan Alps. The word also appears figuratively in political or social contexts to describe an unstoppable wave of change or reaction.

Examples

1. 大量の積雪を抱えた斜面で雪崩が発生し、登山者数名が行方不明になった。 An avalanche occurred on a slope laden with heavy snow, and several climbers went missing.
2. 気温が急上昇した翌日、山腹から雪崩が轟音とともに落下した。 The day after temperatures rose sharply, an avalanche thundered down the mountainside.
3. 雪崩の危険区域には立入禁止の標識が設置されている。 No-entry signs are posted in avalanche-hazard zones.

Usage Guide

Context: winter disasters, mountain safety, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Native Japanese compound. 雪 (yuki) means snow, and the reading なだれ comes from the verb 傾れる or 崩れる, describing a collapsing, tumbling motion down a slope.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal