‘雪丸’ (xuě wán) literally means ‘snow pellet’ and refers to a type of winter precipitation — small, opaque, icy pellets that form when snowflakes partially melt and then refreeze before reaching the ground. It is meteorologically equivalent to sleet in English-speaking countries. The first character 雪 means ‘snow’, evoking cold, white, frozen water; the second character 丸 means ‘pellet’ or ‘small round object’, emphasizing its compact, grain-like shape and texture.

This term is used primarily in weather reports, scientific contexts, and descriptive writing about winter conditions. While not part of everyday casual speech, it appears in news broadcasts, geography textbooks, and environmental education materials. It is more precise than generic terms like 雪 (xuě, ‘snow’) or 冰雹 (bīngbáo, ‘hail’), as it specifically denotes soft, translucent ice pellets — smaller and less dense than hailstones but harder and more granular than snowflakes.