氷

• Reading: こおり
• Romaji: koori
• Kanji breakdown: 氷 (koori/hyou) — ice, frozen water
• Pronunciation: /koː.ɾi/

Meaning

Ice. Frozen water, or ice used in drinks and food.

A noun used for ice in all contexts, from weather to beverages. In summer, かき氷 (kakigoori, shaved ice) is an iconic Japanese treat. Related expressions include 氷が溶ける (koori ga tokeru, ice melts) and 氷水 (koorimizu, ice water). The character also appears in 氷山 (hyouzan, iceberg) and 氷河 (hyouga, glacier) with the on'yomi reading.

Examples

1. 冷たい飲み物に氷を入れてください。 Please put some ice in my cold drink.
2. 湖の表面が氷で覆われていた。 The surface of the lake was covered in ice.
3. 夏はかき氷が食べたくなる。 In summer, I always crave shaved ice.

Usage Guide

Context: food and drink, weather, nature

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 氷 is a variant of 水 (water) with an additional stroke representing the frozen state. It has been used since ancient times to describe frozen water.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal