1.
the entire sky; the whole sky; all across the sky
Describes the sky in its entirety, typically when it is completely covered or filled by something — clouds, stars, a sunset glow, etc.
空一面に雲が広がった。
Clouds spread across the entire sky.
夕焼けが空一面を赤く染めた。
The sunset dyed the entire sky red.
空一面に星が輝いていて、息を飲むほど美しかった。
Stars were shining across the entire sky, so beautiful it took my breath away.
A compound of 空 (sky) and 一面 (the whole surface, all over). Paints a picture of the sky as a single vast expanse uniformly covered or filled by something. Common in literary and descriptive writing.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 空一面に広がる: to spread across the whole sky
- 空一面を覆う: to cover the entire sky
- 空一面の雲: clouds across the whole sky
- 空一面が灰色になる: the entire sky turns gray
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 一面の雪: snow covering everything — 一面 can be combined with other surfaces too
- 見渡す限りの空: as far as the eye can see across the sky
NOTE:
The pattern ～一面 is productive and can be applied to other surfaces: 海一面 (the entire sea), 野原一面 (across the whole field). It always conveys the image of something stretching uniformly over the entire area.