気流(きりゅう)

気流(きりゅう) refers to flowing masses of air in the atmosphere. It appears regularly in weather reports, aviation safety announcements, and climate science. The most common compound is 乱気流(らんきりゅう) ("turbulence"), which most flyers encounter the term through.

Forms

• 気(き) ("air, atmosphere") + 流(りゅう) ("flow, current") → 気流(きりゅう)

Common collocations

• 乱気流(らんきりゅう): turbulence (literally "chaotic air current")
• 上昇(じょうしょう)気流(きりゅう): updraft, rising air current
• 下降(かこう)気流(きりゅう): downdraft, descending air current
• 寒気(かんき)気流(きりゅう) / 暖気(だんき)気流(きりゅう): cold air current / warm air current
• ジェット気流(きりゅう): jet stream
• 気流(きりゅう)に乗(にの)る: to ride an air current (e.g., gliders, birds)
• 気流(きりゅう)が乱(みだ)れる: for the airflow to become disturbed

Similar / related terms

• 風(かぜ): wind (the everyday word for air movement near the ground)
• 大気(たいき): the atmosphere (the air mass as a whole)
• 偏西風(へんせいふう): the westerlies
• 季節風(きせつふう): monsoon winds
• 台風(たいふう): typhoon
• 気象(きしょう): weather, meteorology

Usage

• 気流(きりゅう) is more technical and large-scale than 風(かぜ). You feel a 風(かぜ) on your face; an aircraft passes through 気流(きりゅう) at altitude.
• In aviation announcements, the standard phrasing for turbulence is 乱気流(らんきりゅう)に巻(ま)き込(こ)まれる ("to be caught in turbulence") or 乱気流(らんきりゅう)が予想(よそう)される ("turbulence is anticipated").
• Birds and glider pilots are often described as 上昇(じょうしょう)気流(きりゅう)に乗(の)る ("riding rising air currents") to gain altitude.