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.
山頂から雲海を見た。
I saw a sea of clouds from the summit.
早朝に登れば雲海が見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.
飛行機の窓から見える雲海は、まるで白い綿を敷き詰めたようだった。
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 (cloud) and 海 (sea). In Japan, many mountain areas are famous for their 雲海 views, including 竹田城跡 in Hyogo Prefecture (the 'castle in the sky') and various spots in Hokkaido. Conditions for seeing 雲海 typically include early morning hours, temperature differences between mountain and valley, and high humidity.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 雲海が広がる (a sea of clouds spreads out)
- 雲海に浮かぶ (to float above a sea of clouds)
- 雲海スポット (a spot famous for sea-of-clouds views)
- 朝の雲海 (morning sea of clouds)