寒気

• Reading: さむけ
• Romaji: samuke
• Kanji breakdown: 寒 (kan/samu) — cold; 気 (ki/ke) — feeling, sensation
• Pronunciation: /sa.mɯ.ke/

Meaning

Chill; the shivers; a shivering sensation, often from illness or fear.

Read as さむけ, this refers to a physical sensation of chills or shivering, typically associated with the onset of a cold or fever. Also used for the chilling sensation caused by fear or horror. Note: the same kanji can be read as かんき, which means 'cold air/weather' — a different word with a different meaning.

Examples

1. 風邪の前兆として寒気がした。 I got the chills as a sign that I was coming down with a cold.
2. 突然寒気を感じて上着を羽織った。 I suddenly felt a chill and put on my jacket.
3. ホラー映画を見ていたら背筋に寒気が走った。 While watching the horror movie, a shiver ran down my spine.

Usage Guide

Context: health, illness, horror

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 寒 (kan/samu, cold) + 気 (ki/ke, feeling/sensation). When read さむけ, the native Japanese reading emphasises the bodily sensation of cold, distinguishing it from the on'yomi reading かんき (cold weather).

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal