frost

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is そう, and the kun reading is しも. It has 17 strokes. It appears in words for frost and frost removal.
• Basic usage: 霜 is read しも and 霜取り is read しもとり.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 霜 / 霜取り
  • 霜 means frost and is read しも. It refers to frost forming on a field or roof on a cold morning.
  • 冷え込んだ朝、畑に白い霜が降りた。 means “White frost covered the field on the cold morning.”
  • 霜取り means defrosting or frost removal and is read しもとり. It refers to removing frost from a freezer or window.
  • 冷凍庫の霜取りをしてから食品を戻した。 means “I defrosted the freezer before putting the food back.”