巻 雲(けんうん)

けんうん

noun

cirrus cloud

1. cirrus cloud; cirrus

A type of high-altitude, thin, wispy cloud formed at very high altitudes. One of the ten basic cloud types in meteorology.

空(そら)に巻雲(けんうん)が広(ひろ)がっている。

Cirrus clouds are spreading across the sky.

巻雲(けんうん)は天気(てんき)が崩(くず)れる前兆(ぜんちょう)とされる。

Cirrus clouds are considered a sign that the weather is about to worsen.

巻雲(けんうん)は氷(こおり)の結晶(けっしょう)からできており、高度(こうど)が非常(ひじょう)に高(たか)いところに発生(はっせい)する。

Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals and form at very high altitudes.

A compound of 巻(けん) (curl, roll) and 雲(うん) (cloud). The formal meteorological term for cirrus clouds, which are thin, feathery clouds found at high altitudes.

Common collocations

巻雲(けんうん)が出(で)る: cirrus clouds appear
巻雲(けんうん)が広(ひろ)がる: cirrus clouds spread

Other cloud types

積雲(せきうん): cumulus cloud
層雲(そううん): stratus cloud
乱雲(らんうん): nimbus cloud
巻積雲(けんせきうん): cirrocumulus (mackerel sky)

Usage

In everyday language, cirrus clouds are often called すじ雲(ぐも) (streak clouds) due to their wispy, hair-like appearance. 巻雲(けんうん) is the more technical/scientific term.

Related Words

Related: 積雲(せきうん) (cumulus cloud)

Compare: 巻積雲(けんせきうん) (cirrocumulus cloud)

general

Added 2026.4.4 7:14 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

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