雲 海(うんかい)

うんかい

noun

sea of clouds

1. sea of clouds; cloud sea

A vast expanse of clouds viewed from above, typically from a mountaintop or airplane. The clouds spread out below the viewer like an ocean. A popular sight for hikers and photographers in Japan.

山頂(さんちょう)から雲海(うんかい)を見(み)た。

I saw a sea of clouds from the summit.

早朝(そうちょう)に登(のぼ)れば雲海(うんかい)が見(み)られるかもしれない。

If you climb early in the morning, you might be able to see a sea of clouds.

飛行機(ひこうき)の窓(まど)から見(み)える雲海(うんかい)は、まるで白(しろ)い綿(わた)を敷(し)き詰(つ)めたようだった。

The sea of clouds seen from the airplane window looked as if white cotton had been spread across the sky.

Usage

A compound of 雲(くも) (cloud) and 海(うみ) (sea). In Japan, many mountain areas are famous for their 雲海(うんかい) views, including 竹田城跡(たけだじょうせき) in Hyogo Prefecture (the 'castle in the sky') and various spots in Hokkaido. Conditions for seeing 雲海(うんかい) typically include early morning hours, temperature differences between mountain and valley, and high humidity.

Common collocations

雲海(うんかい)が広(ひろ)がる (a sea of clouds spreads out)
雲海(うんかい)に浮(う)かぶ (to float above a sea of clouds)
雲海(うんかい)スポット (a spot famous for sea-of-clouds views)
朝(あさ)の雲海(うんかい) (morning sea of clouds)

general

Added 2026.3.20 21:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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