cloud

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is うん, and the kun reading is くも. It has 12 strokes. It appears in words for clouds and rain clouds.
• Basic usage: 雲 is read くも and 雨雲 is read あまぐも.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 雲 / 雨雲
  • 雲 means cloud and is read くも. It refers to ordinary clouds drifting across the sky.
  • 白い雲が山の上をゆっくり流れています。 means “White clouds are drifting slowly over the mountain.”
  • 雨雲 means rain cloud and is read あまぐも. It refers to dark clouds that approach carrying rain.
  • 西の空から黒い雨雲が近づいてきた。 means “Dark rain clouds approached from the western sky.”