雷鳴|らいめいraimei[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounthunder; thunderclap; crash of thunder
   私わたしたちは雷鳴らいめいを聞きいた。↗

   We heard the crack of thunder.

• Synonym霹靂へきれきWrittenWritten and rare on its own; mostly appears in the idiom 「青天の霹靂」, meaning a bolt from the blue.
• Related天鼓WrittenArchaic written word, rarely used; poetically likens thunder to drums sounding in the heavens.
• Related雷鼓WrittenArchaic written word, rarely used; a metaphorical way of saying thunder, close to 「天鼓」.

For thunder in writing use 「雷鳴」, as in 「雷鳴が轟く」; in everyday speech say 「雷の音」. For a sudden, unexpected shock use the idiom 「青天の霹靂」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. かみなり。かみなりの音おと。