(ひこうきぐも)

ひこうきぐも
noun
contrail; vapor trail
1. contrail; vapor trail (left by an aircraft)
The white trail of condensed water vapor that forms behind a high-flying aircraft. Literally 飛行機(ひこうき) (airplane) + (くも) (cloud).
(そら)飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)()えた。
I saw a contrail in the sky.
青空(あおぞら)(しろ)飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)()びていく。
A white contrail stretches across the blue sky.
(ふた)つの飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)交差(こうさ)して、(そら)(おお)きなバツ(じるし)(えが)いた。
Two contrails crossed, drawing a big X in the sky.

Compound of 飛行機(ひこうき) (airplane) + (くも) (cloud), with rendaku changing くも to ぐも. Refers to the white vapor trail behind a jet.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)ができる: a contrail forms
  • 飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)()びる: a contrail stretches out
  • 飛行機雲(ひこうきぐも)()える: a contrail fades away