Descend, Fall

Interesting Fact

The left side 阝 of 降 comes from 阜, a character associated with a hill or mound. Imagine standing on a hill and looking up at the sky. Rain and snow don't stay above you—they come down from the sky and fall toward the ground. This visual idea is reflected in Japanese: 雨が降る (ame ga furu) means “rain falls,” while 雪が降る (yuki ga furu) means “snow falls.” So when you see 降, picture yourself on a hill watching rain or snow come DOWN from above.