Chinese word

乌云

Pronunciation

Pinyinwū yún

Meaning

  • noundark cloud

Example

乌云压得很低，太阳看不见了。wū yún yā de hěn dī tài yáng kàn bú jiàn le

Dark clouds hang low, and the sun is no longer visible.

Illustration for 乌云 (dark cloud)

More examples

傍晚，乌云密布，天色一瞬间暗了下来。bàng wǎn wū yún mì bù tiān sè yí shùn jiān àn le xià lái

At dusk, dark clouds gathered, and the sky suddenly grew dark.

Core concept

Dark cloud cover pressing down over the landscape, hiding the sun and casting a shadow of trouble.

Common phrases

  • 乌云密布wū yún mì bù

    dark clouds gather

  • 乌云压顶wū yún yā dǐng

    dark clouds hang overhead

Similar words

阴天yīn tiān: Overcast weather with thick clouds covering the sky, hiding the sun and making the day look dark.
雨云yǔ yún: Clouds carrying a lot of moisture and likely to bring rain.
浓云nóng yún: Dense, thick clouds that block light and make the sky look dark.
云层yún céng: A broad layer of clouds spread across the sky.

Definition in Chinese

呈深色、常在降雨或风暴前出现并能遮挡太阳的云层。chéng shēn sè cháng zài jiàng yǔ huò fēng bào qián chū xiàn bìng néng zhē dǎng tài yáng de yún céng

Word origin

乌 (wū, "black") + 云 (yún, "cloud") names the object by its most visible feature, and this concrete image supports its figurative sense of gloom.

Usage tips

  • In everyday descriptions, the word is especially vivid when paired with a position or movement, such as saying that the sky is filled with it or that it hangs low.

Other meanings

  • cloud of gloomnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 乌云密布wū yún mì bùdark clouds gatheridiom
  • 乌云压顶wū yún yā dǐngdark clouds hang overheadidiom

Word lists with this word