Chinese Character: 雷
1. Character Basics
Radical: 雨 (rain radical)
Stroke Count: 13
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: léi (Second tone)
3. Meaning
Thunder; lightning; mine; to thunder; rumble; peal of thunder; thunderclap; thunderbolt
4. Common Words
- 雷声 (léishēng) - thunderclap; thunder
- 雷电 (léidiàn) - thunder and lightning
- 雷雨 (léiyǔ) - thunderstorm
- 雷达 (léidá) - radar
- 地雷 (dìléi) - landmine
- 雷击 (léijī) - lightning strike
- 春雷 (chūnléi) - spring thunder
- 闷雷 (mènléi) - distant thunder; muffled thunder
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "雷" is primarily used as a noun to refer to thunder and related phenomena, but it also appears in compound words with extended meanings.
Grammar Patterns:
- 雷 + 声/电/雨/击/达: 雷声 (thunder), 雷电 (thunder and lightning), 雷雨 (thunderstorm), 雷击 (lightning strike), 雷达 (radar)
- 地 + 雷: 地雷 (landmine)
- 春/闷 + 雷: 春雷 (spring thunder), 闷雷 (distant thunder)
- 作为主语: 雷很大 (The thunder is loud)
- 作为定语: 雷阵雨 (thundershower)
6. Cultural Background
The character "雷" has significant cultural importance in Chinese tradition and mythology:
In Chinese mythology, the god of thunder is known as "雷公" (Léi Gōng), who is depicted as a fearsome deity with a drum that creates thunder. He is often accompanied by the god of lightning, "电母" (Diàn Mǔ).
The phrase "雷厉风行" (léi lì fēng xíng) literally means "like thunder and wind" and is used to describe someone who takes decisive and prompt action.
The character is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, where "雷火灸" (léi huǒ jiǔ) is a type of moxibustion therapy that involves burning herbs on or near the skin.
In modern Chinese internet slang, "雷" has taken on the meaning of "shocking" or "amazing" in a surprising way, often used to describe something that is unexpectedly impressive or absurd.
The character's radical "雨" (rain) reflects its original association with weather phenomena, particularly thunderstorms.
7. Example Sentence
中文: 外面下着大雨，还伴有雷声。
Pinyin: Wàimiàn xiàzhe dàyǔ, hái bànyǒu léishēng.
English: It's raining heavily outside, accompanied by thunder.
8. Memory Tips
The character "雷" (léi) can be remembered by breaking it down into its components:
- The top part is "雨" (rain radical), which relates to its meaning connected to weather and thunder
- The bottom part consists of "田" (field) and "糸" (silk), but together they form a component that helps with pronunciation and understanding
To remember the character, think of it as "rain (雨) over a field (田) with sound," which relates to its meaning of thunder rumbling over the land.
Associate the character with common words like "雷声" (thunder) and "雷电" (thunder and lightning) to reinforce its meaning and usage.
Practice writing the character following the stroke order to help remember its structure, paying special attention to the rain radical at the top.