Hatsuyuki is the Japanese word for ‘first snow of the season’

What does “hatsuyuki” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers use hatsuyuki to mean the ‘first snow of the season’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese movies, songs, novels, manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I’m explaining this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’m explaining how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand hatsuyuki more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “hatsuyuki”
• Hatsuyuki in kanji
  • How to say “the first snow of the season” in Japanese
  • Another example of “hatsuyuki”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “hatsuyuki”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of hatsuyuki.

• hatsuyuki – 初雪 (はつゆき) : a noun used to mean the ‘first snow of the season’ or the ‘first snow of the year’ in Japanese.

The definition and meanings are very simple and clear. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

Hatsuyuki in kanji

The kanji expression of hatsuyuki consists of the following two kanji characters:

• 初 : a kanji character often used as a prefix to add the meaning of ‘first’ in Japanese.
• 雪 : a kanji character used to mean ‘snow’ in Japanese.

From these two kanji characters, we can understand that hatsuyuki literally means the ‘first snow’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is very close to the actual meanings.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about the meanings of the expressions they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of hatsuyuki through the detailed kanji check above.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of hatsuyuki together with its kanji characters. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.

How to say “the first snow of the season” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kinou – 昨日 (きのう) : a noun used to mean ‘yesterday’ in Japanese. This can also be used as an adverb almost anywhere in a sentence. In the example, this is used as an adverb at the beginning of the sentence to mean ‘yesterday’ in Japanese.
• kono – この : a determiner used before a noun which refers to something close to the speaker. In the example, this is used before machi to mean ‘this city’ in Japanese.
• machi – 街 (まち) : a noun used to mean a ‘city’ in Japanese. This can also be used as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.
• de – で : a case particle used to say where something happens. In the example, this is used after kono machi to say where the speakers had the first snow of the season.
• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after hatsuyuki to make the subject in the sentence.
• fut – 降っ (ふっ) : one conjugation of the verb, furu, which means ‘to fall’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. In the example, this is used after fut to make its past tense form, fut ta.

This is a typical usage of hatsuyuki. In this example, it works together with the case particle, ga, to become the subject in the sentence.

The original meaning of the Japanese sentence is more like ‘yesterday, the first snow of the season fell in this city’, but it has been translated into English as ‘yesterday, we had the first snow of the season in this city.’

Another example of “hatsuyuki”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after hatsuyuki to make the subject in the sentence.
• totemo – とても : an adverb of degree used to mean ‘very’, ‘mush’, ‘so’, or such in Japanese. In the example, this is used before utsukushikat ta to emphasize its meaning.
• utsukushikat – 美しかっ (うつくしかっ) : one conjugation of the i-adjective, utsukushii, which means ‘beautiful’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.

This is another example of hatsuyuki. In this example, it works together with the binding particle, wa, to become the subject in the sentence. When we want to mean ‘the first snow of the season’ in Japanese, anyway, this noun is always a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of hatsuyuki in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• hatsuyuki – 初雪 (はつゆき) : a noun used to mean the ‘first snow of the season’ or the ‘first snow of the year’ in Japanese. These two kanji characters literally mean ‘first snow’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is very close to the actual meanings.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.