曇 (tán) - Cloudy, overcast & ephemeral, transient

曇Tone 2

tán ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

树檀

曇 · tán

Cloudy, overcast;

ephemeral, transient;

refers to the udumbara flower which blooms rarely;

used in Japanese names.

Cloudy, overcastephemeral, transientrefers to the udumbara flower which blooms rarely

Usage highlights

Cloudy skyUdumbara flowerCloudy weatherCloudy and rainyEphemeral phenomenonCloud cover

Synonyms

  • 雲— cloud
  • 陰— overcast, shady

Antonyms

  • 晴— clear, sunny
  • 明— bright, clear

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sky is cloudy (曇天).
  • The udumbara flower blooms once every 3,000 years (曇華).
  • Today is overcast (今日は曇りです).
  • Ephemeral beauty (曇花一現).

Collocations

  • Cloudy sky(曇天)
  • Udumbara flower(曇華)
  • Cloudy weather(曇り)
  • Cloudy and rainy(曇雨)
  • Ephemeral phenomenon(曇花一現)
  • Cloud cover(曇雲)

Idioms

  • Flower of the udumbara tree, which blooms only once every 3,000 years(曇華)
  • A flash in the pan; transient beauty(曇花一現)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Buddhism, the udumbara flower (曇華) symbolizes rarity as it's said to bloom only once every 3,000 years.
  • The character conveys themes of transience and the beauty of fleeting moments.
  • Commonly used in Japanese names and weather descriptions.

FAQ