雷

雷 U+96F7, 雷 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-96F7 ← 零 [U+96F6] CJK Unified Ideographs 雸 → [U+96F8]

雷 U+F949, 雷 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F949 ← 賂 [U+F948] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 壘 → [U+F94A]

雷 (Kangxi radical 173, 雨+5, 13 strokes, cangjie input 一月田 (MBW), four-corner 1060₃, composition ⿱⻗田)

• 擂, 㵢, 䢮, 檑, 礌, 鐳(镭), 鱩, 鿨, 蕾, 䍣, 癗, 靐, 䨻

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1372, character 14
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 42245
• Dae Jaweon: page 1881, character 3
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4060, character 2
• Unihan data for U+96F7

• Unihan data for U+F949

trad.		雷
simp. #		雷
alternative forms		畾 𡈶 𩇓 ancient 𤴐 ancient 𩂩 ancient 畾 𡈶 𩇓 ancient 𤴐 ancient 𩂩 ancient 𤳳 ancient 䨓 ancient 𩄣 ancient 靁 ancient 㗊 ancient 𤴑 ancient

Ancient simplification of 靁, which was a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ruːl): semantic 雨 (“rain”) + phonetic 畾 (OC *ruːl).

The Northern Min initial s- may be due to the loss of a pre-initial which might have been a velar considering dialect forms in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi, e.g. Taiyuan Jin 忽雷 (hueh4 lui1) (Schuessler, 2007).

Perhaps from Sino-Tibetan. Compare Mizo râwl (“voice; cry (of an animal); sound”), Tibetan ཁྲོལ (khrol).

• (spoiler): Clipping of 捏他八雷 (niētābāléi), from Japanese ネタバレ (netabare).
• (loyalty): by homophony of 二 (ji⁶, “two”) and 義 / 义 (ji⁶, “spirit of loyalty”).
• (to lay off): from Phono-semantic matching of English lay off.

雷

1. thunder

   打雷  ―  dǎ léi  ―  to thunder

   電閃雷鳴／电闪雷鸣  ―  diànshǎnléimíng  ―  lightning flashes and thunder rumbles

   • 殷其靁，在南山之陽。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     殷其靁，在南山之阳。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yīn qí léi, zài Nánshān zhī yáng. [Pinyin]

     Grandly rolls the thunder,
     On the south of the southern hill!

   • 鳳銜金榜出雲來，平地一聲雷。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     凤衔金榜出云来，平地一声雷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 9th century, Wei Zhuang, 喜遷鶯

     Fèng xián jīnbǎng chū yún lái, píngdì yī shēng léi. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (in compounds) lightning

   避雷針／避雷针  ―  bìléizhēn  ―  lightning rod

   雷擊／雷击  ―  léijī  ―  lightning strike

3. (military, weaponry, in compounds) explosive device; mine

   魚雷／鱼雷  ―  yúléi  ―  torpedo

   手雷  ―  shǒuléi  ―  grenade

   雷區／雷区  ―  léiqū  ―  minefield

   排雷  ―  páiléi  ―  to demine

4. (colloquial, neologism) to astonish; to shock

   這部電視劇太雷人了。 [MSC, trad.]
   这部电视剧太雷人了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè bù diànshìjù tài léirén le. [Pinyin]

   This TV series is too astonishing.

5. (colloquial, neologism) astonishment; surprise

   內容有雷／内容有雷  ―  nèiróng yǒu léi  ―  (slang) shocking content ahead

6. short for 雷州 (Léizhōu, “Leizhou”)

   雷劇／雷剧  ―  léijù  ―  Leizhou opera

7. (neologism) burdensome

   暴雷  ―  bàoléi  ―  to default on a large scale

8. (neologism) to be burden to others
9. (neologism, slang) boobs

   大雷  ―  dà léi  ―  (slang) huge boobs

10. (Taiwan, neologism) plot spoiler

    Synonyms: 捏他 (niētā), 劇透 / 剧透 (jùtòu)

11. (Hong Kong Cantonese, triad slang) two
12. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang) loyalty
13. a surname

    雷震  ―  Léi Zhèn  ―  Lei Chen (Chinese dissident who founded the Free China Journal in Taiwan)

14. (American (1980–), slang) to lay off

    亞麻整組被雷／亚麻整组被雷  ―  yàmá zhěng zǔ bèi léi  ―  An entire group at Amazon is being laid off

15. Used in transcription.

    弗雷德里克  ―  Fúléidélǐkè  ―  Frederick

    雷克雅未克  ―  Léikèyǎwèikè  ―  Reykjavík

    古鐵雷斯／古铁雷斯  ―  Gǔtiěléisī  ―  Gutiérrez

• (thunder): 雷聲／雷声 (léishēng)
• (lightning): 閃電／闪电 (shǎndiàn)

• As a noun on its own, 雷 (léi) refers to thunder. In compounds, however, this character may also refer to lightning.
• Not all military explosive devices are called 雷 (léi). Another commonly used name is 彈／弹 (dàn), which is more often used with propelled explosive weapons.

• (basic weather words shared by most dialects): 雲／云 (yún, “cloud”), 霧／雾 (wù, “fog, mist”), 風／风 (fēng, “wind”), 雨 (yǔ, “rain”), 雪 (xuě, “snow”), 電／电 (diàn, “lightning”), 雷 (léi, “thunder”), 虹 (hóng, “rainbow”)

• “雷”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “雷”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

(Jōyō kanji)

1. thunder, lightning bolt

• Go-on: らい (rai, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: らい (rai, Jōyō)
• Kun: かみなり (kaminari, 雷, Jōyō)、いかずち (ikazuchi, 雷)^{←いかづち (ikaduti, 雷, historical)}
• Nanori: あずま (azuma)^{←あづま (aduma, historical)}

Kanji in this term
雷
かみなり Grade: S
kun'yomi

Originally a compound of 神(かみ) (kami, “god, spirit”) + 鳴(な)り (nari, 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 鳴(な)る (naru)).^[1][2][3]

• (Tokyo) かみなり [kàmínáꜜrì] (Nakadaka – [3])^[4][3]
• (Tokyo) かみなり [kàmínáríꜜ] (Odaka – [4])^[4][3]
• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲina̠ɾʲi]

雷(かみなり) • (kaminari) 

1. thunder (loud sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air)

   Synonym: 雷鳴 (raimei)

2. lightning, thunderbolt

   Synonyms: 電, 稲妻 (inazuma); 稲光 (inabikari); 落雷 (rakurai)

   • 1999 February 4, “サンダー・キッズ [Thunder Kid]”, in Vol.1, Konami:

     雷(かみなり)をからだの中(なか)に蓄(ちく)電(でん)させている。泣(な)かせたときは危(き)険(けん)。

     Kaminari o karada no naka ni chikuden saseteiru. Nakaseta toki wa kiken.

     He stores lightning inside his body. He’s very dangerous when he cries.

   • 1999 March 1, “エレキッズ [Elekid]”, in BOOSTER 1, Konami:

     雷(かみなり)攻(こう)撃(げき)は意(い)外(がい)と強(つよ)い。甘(あま)く見(み)ると感(かん)電(でん)するぞ。

     Kaminarikōgeki wa igai to tsuyoi. Amaku miru to kanden suru zo.

     It has a surprisingly powerful lightning attack. However, its electrocution tends to be underestimated.

3. thunder god

This kaminari reading is the most common reading when used as a standalone noun.

• 雷(かみなり)が落(お)ちる (kaminari ga ochiru, “thunder comes down → to be scolded severely by a superior, to be ripped a new one”)
• 雷(かみなり)三(みっ)日(か) (kaminari mikka)

• 雷電(らいでん) (raiden, “thunder and lightning”)

Kanji in this term
雷
かんなり Grade: S
irregular

Alternative spellings
雷鳴り 雷鳴

/kaminari/ → /kamʉnari/ → /kanːari/

Shift in pronunciation from kaminari above.^[1][3]

• IPA^(key): [kã̠nːa̠ɾʲi]

雷(かんなり) • (kannari) 

1. (rare, archaic) Same as かみなり (kaminari) above

• 雷(かんなり)の陣(じん) (kannari no jin)

雷(かんなり) • (Kannari) 

1. (rare, archaic) short for 雷鳴の壺 (Kannari no Tsubo): one of the five buildings in the imperial palace in 平安京 (Heian-kyō), modern-day Kyoto

Kanji in this term
雷
いかずち Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
霆

⟨ika tu ti⟩ → ⟨ikaduti⟩ → /ikad͡zut͡ɕi/ → /ikazut͡ɕi/

From Old Japanese.

Originally a compound of 厳(いか) (ika, “sternness, terribleness, imposingness”) + つ (tsu, Old Japanese possessive particle) + 霊(ち) (chi, “spirit, force, essence”).^[1][2][3]

• IPA^(key): [ika̠zɨt͡ɕi]

雷(いかずち) • (ikazuchi) ^{←いかづち (ikaduti)?}

1. (archaic) thunder
2. (obsolete) something ferocious and imposing, a demon or devil

雷(いかずち) • (Ikazuchi) ^{←いかづち (Ikaduti)?}

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
雷
なるかみ Grade: S
irregular

Alternative spellings
鳴る神 鳴神

Compound of 鳴(な)る (naru, “to cry out, to call”) + 神(かみ) (kami, “god, spirit”).^[1][3]

• IPA^(key): [na̠ɾɯ̟ka̠mʲi]

雷(なるかみ) • (narukami) 

1. (rare) thunder (the sound)
2. (rare) lightning, a thunderbolt

雷(なるかみ) • (Narukami) 

1. 鳴神: one of the eighteen styles of kabuki

This sense is more commonly spelled as 鳴神.

Kanji in this term
雷
らい Grade: S
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 雷 (MC lwoj).

Compare modern Mandarin 雷 (léi) and Cantonese 雷 (leoi⁴).

• (Tokyo) らい [ráꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[3]
• IPA^(key): [ɾa̠i]

雷(らい) • (rai) 

1. a thunder
2. lightning

Used more in compounds than on its own. As a standalone noun, the kaminari reading is the most common.

• 雷(らい)の間(ま) (rai no ma)
• 雷(らい)斧(ふ) (raifu)
• 機(き)雷(らい) (kirai)

雷(らい) • (rai) 

1. thunder
2. thunderous, noisy
3. famous
4. large, explosive weapon

雷(らい) • (Rai) 

1. a female given name
2. a surname

(Jōyō kanji)

• Kun: はんまい (hanmai, 雷)

雷(はんまい) (hanmai) 

1. thunder

• “はんまい【雷】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

From Middle Chinese 雷 (MC lwoj). Recorded as Middle Korean 뢰 (lwoy) (Yale: lwoy) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Wikisource

雷 (eumhun 우레 뢰 (ure roe), word-initial (South Korea) 우레 뇌 (ure noe))

1. hanja form^? of 뢰/뇌 (“thunder; lightning bolt”)

   Synonym: 震 (진 (jin))

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

(Jōyō kanji)

• Kun: かんない (kannai, 雷)

Cognate with Japanese 雷 (kaminari).

雷(かんない) (kannai) 

1. thunder

• “かんない【雷】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

Originally a compound of 嚴 (ika, “sternness, terribleness, imposingness”) +‎ つ (tu, possessive particle) +‎ 靈 (ti, “spirit, force, essence”).^[1][2][3]

雷 (ikaduti) (kana いかづち)

1. thunder
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 3, first variant poem 235, first variant:
     , text here

     皇者神二四座者天雲之雷之上尓廬為流鴨

     opoki₁mi₁ pa kami₂ ni si maseba amakumo no₂ ikaduti no₂ upe₂ ni iporaseru ka mo

     Since our sovereign is a god, she builds a temporary palace above the thunder in the heavenly clouds.^[4]

2. demon or devil

• Japanese: 雷 (ikazuchi)

• 鳴神 (narukami₂)

雷 (lòi)

1. Nôm form of lòi (“core”).

• Dương Nhật Thanh, Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003) Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎^[3] (in Tày and Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học xã hội [Social Sciences Publishing House]

雷: Hán Việt readings: lôi^[1][2][3][4]
雷: Nôm readings: loay, loi^[1][3], lôi^[1][3], lơi^[1], lui^[1][3], lụi^[3], rôi, soi^[1], sôi^[1], trôi^[1]

1. chữ Hán form of lôi (“thunder”)
2. chữ Nôm form of loay
3. chữ Nôm form of loi
4. chữ Nôm form of lôi (“to haul”)
5. chữ Nôm form of lơi
6. chữ Nôm form of lui (“to retreat”)
7. chữ Nôm form of lụi
8. chữ Nôm form of rôi (“to be surplus”)
9. chữ Nôm form of soi
10. chữ Nôm form of sôi (“to boil”)
11. chữ Nôm form of trôi (“to drift; labeonin”)

• 竹内与之助 [Takeuchi Yonosuke] (10 May 1988) “loay”, in 字喃字典 [Tự Điển Chữ Nôm, Chữ Nôm Dictionary]‎^[4] (in Japanese and Vietnamese), 1st edition, Tokyo: 大学書林 [Daigaku Syorin], via Nomfoundation.org, →ISBN, archived from the original on 28 July 2019, page 286
• 竹内与之助 [Takeuchi Yonosuke] (10 May 1988) “rôi”, in 字喃字典 [Tự Điển Chữ Nôm, Chữ Nôm Dictionary]‎^[5] (in Japanese and Vietnamese), 1st edition, Tokyo: 大学書林 [Daigaku Syorin], via Nomfoundation.org, →ISBN, archived from the original on 28 July 2019, page 467