層 雲(そううん)

そううん

noun

stratus cloud

1. stratus cloud

One of the ten standard cloud genera: a flat, featureless, low-altitude cloud sheet that covers large areas of sky, often producing drizzle or mist. Distinguished from cumulus by its uniform layered appearance.

山(やま)に層雲(そううん)がかかっている。

Stratus clouds are hanging over the mountain.

朝(あさ)、低(ひく)い層雲(そううん)が町(まち)を覆(おお)っていた。

In the morning, low stratus clouds covered the town.

層雲(そううん)は霧雨(きりさめ)を降(ふ)らせることがある。

Stratus clouds can produce drizzle.

層雲(そううん)は最(もっと)も低(ひく)い高度(こうど)にできる雲(くも)で、地表(ちひょう)に接(せっ)すると霧(きり)と呼(よ)ばれる。

Stratus is the lowest-altitude cloud type, and when it touches the ground it is called fog.

Composed of 層(そう) (layer) and 雲(うん) (cloud). One of the ten standard cloud classifications (十(じゅう)種(しゅ)雲形(うんけい)) used in meteorology.

Usage

A meteorological term used in weather reports, textbooks, and sometimes in everyday descriptions of overcast conditions.
Used as a plain noun; does not take する.

Common collocations

低(ひく)い層雲(そううん): low stratus
層雲(そううん)がかかる: stratus hangs (over an area)
層雲(そううん)が広(ひろ)がる: stratus clouds spread out

Related words

積雲(せきうん): cumulus — puffy, vertically developed clouds
高層雲(こうそううん): altostratus — stratus clouds at middle altitude
乱層雲(らんそううん): nimbostratus — thick stratus producing steady rain
霧(きり): fog — ground-level stratus

Related Words

Related: 積雲(せきうん) (cumulus)

Related: 霧(きり) (fog)

general

Added 2026.4.14 23:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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