白云
白white云cloud=white cloud
云
云 (yún) Chinese Character: cloud
The curling lower stroke looks like drifting mist.
Practice 云 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: Clouds in the Sky
云 (yún) means “cloud.” Imagine the lower stroke curling like mist beneath two layers of sky. The traditional form 雲 makes the weather connection even clearer by adding 雨, “rain.”
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
云朵
云cloud朵measure word or flower-like cluster=cloud
Chinese character origin and etymology
云 is an ancient form used for cloud; the traditional character 雲 later added 雨, “rain,” above it.
Two upper lines sit over a curling lower stroke. 云 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
云 is written with 4 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 云 — cloud — a basic form used as one complete character
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 云 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
天上有白云。
There are white clouds in the sky.
今天云很多。
There are many clouds today.
山在云下面。
The mountain is below the clouds.
Learning tips for 云
Learn the reading as one unit: yún, with the second tone: rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “cloud,” and write the 4 strokes from memory.
Because 云 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 雨 (yǔ, rain); 天 (tiān, sky, heaven). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 云 without pinyin?
- Can you say yún with the correct tone and explain “cloud”?
- Can you write all 4 strokes in order?
- Can you use 云 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 云 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.