léi

Léi is the Mandarin pinyin for the Chinese character 雷, which means thunder. It is used as a standalone word for thunder and appears in numerous weather-related terms. Common compounds include 雷电 léidiàn (lightning), 雷雨 léiyǔ (thunderstorm), 雷声 léishēng (thunder sound), 雷霆 léitíng (thunderclap), and 雷达 léidá (radar), the latter adopting the character for phonetic or symbolic reasons rather than its meteorological sense.

Pronunciation and readings vary by language. In Mandarin, 雷 is lei2. In Cantonese it is leoi4. In Japanese, the character is read as rai (on’yomi) and kaminari (kun’yomi), and appears in words related to thunder. In Korean, the corresponding hanja reading is “rae.” The character is used across East Asian texts to evoke weather, power, and natural force.

Cultural and religious context is notable in Chinese folklore. Lei Gong, the God of Thunder, is a deity associated with thunderous accompaniment and the punishment of evildoers. Thunder is also linked to agricultural cycles, seasonal changes, and weather warnings in traditional contexts.

As a surname, 雷 appears in Chinese as a family name and is romanized as Lei. It is relatively uncommon but widely recognized in Chinese-speaking communities and in diasporic populations. The character’s associations with strength and natural forces contribute to its enduring presence in names, idioms, and literature.