1.
look of the sky; weather conditions; sky
The appearance of the sky as an indicator of the weather. Often implies uncertain or threatening weather. Also used figuratively for the 'atmosphere' or mood of a situation.
空模様が怪しい。
The sky looks threatening.
空模様を見て傘を持っていくことにした。
I looked at the sky and decided to bring an umbrella.
朝から空模様が悪く、午後には大雨になった。
The sky looked bad from morning, and by afternoon it was pouring.
Literally 'sky pattern' — the appearance of the sky as a weather indicator. Often carries a nuance of uncertainty or concern about whether the weather will turn bad.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 空模様が怪しい — the sky looks threatening
- 空模様が悪い — the weather looks bad
- 空模様を見る — to check the sky/weather
- 空模様を気にする — to worry about the weather
FIGURATIVE USE:
Can be used metaphorically for the mood or atmosphere of a situation, e.g., 会議の空模様が怪しくなってきた (the atmosphere in the meeting is turning sour).
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 天気 — weather (neutral, general)
- 天候 — weather conditions (more formal)
- 模様 — pattern; appearance; state of affairs