Where does “時雨の雨” come from?

時雨の雨 (Old Japanese) comes from Old Japanese の, from Middle Chinese 能 — talent, ability.

時雨の雨 (Old Japanese): a rainshower in late autumn or early winter

Definitions

  1. a rainshower in late autumn or early winter

Ancestry of “時雨の雨”, step by step

時雨の雨 traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Japanese の

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Japaneseのplain, field
2Middle Chinese能talent, ability

via Old Japanese 雨

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Japanese雨rain, rainfall

via Old Japanese 時雨

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Japanese時雨a rainshower in late autumn or early winter
Every word from Middle Chinese 能 →Every word from Old Japanese の →