wū yún mì bù: 乌云密布 - Overcast with Dark Clouds; Gloomy; Foreboding

• Keywords: wū yún mì bù, wuyunmibu, 乌云密布, Chinese idiom, dark clouds, overcast, gloomy, foreboding, tense situation, storm clouds gathering, Chinese expression for trouble
• Summary: Learn the Chinese idiom 乌云密布 (wū yún mì bù), which literally means “dark clouds densely cover the sky.” This guide explores its use for both describing stormy weather and, more importantly, its powerful figurative meaning for a gloomy, tense, or foreboding atmosphere. Understand how this single phrase can describe everything from an impending thunderstorm to a tense business meeting or a grim economic forecast.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wū yún mì bù
• Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu, 成语) / Verb Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 5/6
• Concise Definition: The sky is filled with dark clouds; (figuratively) the atmosphere is grim, tense, or threatening.
• In a Nutshell: 乌云密布 (wū yún mì bù) paints a vivid picture. Literally, it's what you'd say when you look up and see a dark, heavy sky right before a big storm. Figuratively, it captures that same feeling of heaviness and impending trouble and applies it to any situation. If a meeting feels tense, a negotiation is going poorly, or someone's face looks full of worry, you can say the situation is 乌云密布. It's the feeling that something bad is about to happen.

• 乌 (wū): Dark, black. This character is often associated with the crow (乌鸦, wūyā).
• 云 (yún): Cloud. A simple pictograph of clouds in the sky.
• 密 (mì): Dense, thick, or tightly packed.
• 布 (bù): To spread over, to cover, or to distribute. It's also the character for cloth (布).

The characters combine to create a powerful image: “Dark (乌) clouds (云) are densely (密) spread across (布)” the sky, covering it completely. This literal image of an oppressive, stormy sky is the foundation for its figurative meaning of a grim and threatening situation.

The use of natural imagery to describe human affairs and emotions is a cornerstone of Chinese language and literature. 乌云密布 is a perfect example. It taps into the universal human experience of watching a storm roll in and feeling a sense of anticipation or dread. In Chinese culture, there's a traditional philosophical concept of “Heaven and humanity in harmony” (天人合一, tiān rén hé yī), where events in the natural world are often seen as mirroring or foreshadowing events in the human world. An idiom like 乌云密布 fits perfectly within this worldview. A dark sky doesn't just mean rain is coming; it can be seen as a reflection of turmoil on earth.

• Comparison to Western Concepts: A very close English equivalent is “storm clouds are gathering.” Both phrases are used to describe brewing trouble, often in a political or social context. However, 乌云密布 can be applied more broadly and personally. While you might say “storm clouds are gathering over the economy,” you're just as likely to use 乌云密布 to describe the look on your boss's face after a bad presentation or the silent, tense atmosphere at a family dinner. It's slightly more versatile in everyday, personal situations.

This idiom is common in both written and spoken Chinese and is understood by everyone.

• Literal Weather Description: It is frequently used in weather forecasts and daily conversation to describe the sky before a heavy rain or thunderstorm.
  • “Look outside, it's all dark clouds. Better bring an umbrella.”
• Figurative Atmosphere: This is its most powerful usage. It can describe any situation filled with tension, gloom, or a sense of impending trouble.
  • In Business: Describing a tense negotiation or a grim market outlook. “The mood in the boardroom was 乌云密布.”
  • In Relationships: Explaining a tense, unspoken conflict between people. “After their argument, the atmosphere at home was 乌云密布.”
  • Describing Emotions: While it describes the external atmosphere, it can be used to describe a person's facial expression, implying they are deeply worried or angry. “He came out of the meeting with a face like 乌云密布.”

The connotation is almost always negative, signaling something undesirable is happening or is about to happen. It carries a slightly literary tone but is not overly formal for conversation.

• Example 1:
  • 天空突然乌云密布，看来要下大雨了。
  • Pinyin: Tiānkōng túrán wū yún mì bù, kànlái yào xià dàyǔ le.
  • English: The sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds; it looks like it's going to rain heavily.
  • Analysis: This is the most direct, literal usage of the term to describe the weather.
• Example 2:
  • 会议室里乌云密布，老板对这个季度的业绩非常不满意。
  • Pinyin: Huìyìshì lǐ wū yún mì bù, lǎobǎn duì zhège jìdù de yèjì fēicháng bù mǎnyì.
  • English: The atmosphere in the meeting room was gloomy and tense; the boss was very dissatisfied with this quarter's performance.
  • Analysis: A classic figurative use. The idiom describes the tense, negative “atmosphere” (气氛) in the room, not the actual sky.
• Example 3:
  • 由于经济衰退，整个行业的前景乌云密布。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú jīngjì shuāituì, zhěnggè hángyè de qiánjǐng wū yún mì bù.
  • English: Due to the economic recession, the prospects for the entire industry are grim.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used to describe an abstract concept—the “prospects” (前景)—as being full of impending trouble.
• Example 4:
  • 他听完坏消息后，脸上立刻乌云密布。
  • Pinyin: Tā tīng wán huài xiāoxi hòu, liǎn shàng lìkè wū yún mì bù.
  • English: After he heard the bad news, his face immediately clouded over.
  • Analysis: The idiom is used metaphorically to describe a person's facial expression becoming dark with worry, anger, or sadness.
• Example 5:
  • 他们夫妻俩冷战了好几天，家里总是乌云密布的。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen fūqī liǎ lěngzhàn le hǎo jǐ tiān, jiā lǐ zǒngshì wū yún mì bù de.
  • English: The couple has been giving each other the silent treatment for days, so the atmosphere at home is always tense.
  • Analysis: This shows its use for describing the emotional climate in a personal space like a home.
• Example 6:
  • 两国谈判失败，边境地区乌云密布。
  • Pinyin: Liǎng guó tánpàn shībài, biānjìng dìqū wū yún mì bù.
  • English: The negotiations between the two countries failed, and the border region is now fraught with tension.
  • Analysis: A common figurative usage in news and political contexts to mean a situation is tense and conflict seems imminent.
• Example 7:
  • 尽管目前乌云密布，我们仍要对未来抱有希望。
  • Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn mùqián wū yún mì bù, wǒmen réng yào duì wèilái bàoyǒu xīwàng.
  • English: Although the current situation is grim, we must still hold out hope for the future.
  • Analysis: This example shows how the idiom can be contrasted with positive concepts like “hope” (希望).
• Example 8:
  • 快看，西边的天空乌云密布，我们得赶紧回家。
  • Pinyin: Kuài kàn, xībian de tiānkōng wū yún mì bù, wǒmen děi gǎnjǐn huíjiā.
  • English: Look quickly, the western sky is covered in dark clouds, we have to hurry home.
  • Analysis: A simple, conversational, and literal use of the idiom.
• Example 9:
  • 在这乌云密布的时刻，我们需要团结一致。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhè wū yún mì bù de shíkè, wǒmen xūyào tuánjié yīzhì.
  • English: At this grim and perilous moment, we need to be united.
  • Analysis: Here, `乌云密布的` acts as an adjective modifying “moment” (时刻), highlighting a time of great difficulty.
• Example 10:
  • 别看他现在笑，我感觉他心里其实乌云密布。
  • Pinyin: Bié kàn tā xiànzài xiào, wǒ gǎnjué tā xīnli qíshí wū yún mì bù.
  • English: Don't be fooled by his smile now; I feel that inside, he's actually full of gloom and worry.
  • Analysis: This shows the idiom describing a person's internal emotional state or “heart” (心里).

• Not just “cloudy”: A common mistake for learners is to use 乌云密布 for any overcast day. This term specifically implies *dark*, *heavy*, and *threatening* clouds that signal a storm. For a generally gray or cloudy day, you should use 阴天 (yīn tiān).
  • Incorrect: 今天有点儿乌云密布，但很舒服。(Today is a bit overcast, but very comfortable.) → This is contradictory. The correct word would be 阴天 or 多云 (duōyún).
• Not just “sad”: While a situation described as 乌云密布 can make you sad, the idiom itself describes a tense, foreboding, or gloomy atmosphere, not the simple emotion of sadness. If you just want to say “I'm sad,” you should use 难过 (nánguò) or 伤心 (shāngxīn).
  • Incorrect: 我考试没考好，所以我很乌云密布。(I didn't do well on my exam, so I am very gloomy/tense.) → Use 我很难过.
• It's the atmosphere, not the person: Generally, you describe a situation, a face, or an atmosphere as 乌云密布, not a person directly. You'd say his “face” (脸) is 乌云密布, not “he” (他) is 乌云密布.

• 风雨欲来 (fēng yǔ yù lái): “The wind and rain are about to come.” A very close synonym, also used figuratively to mean a crisis is brewing.
• 山雨欲来风满楼 (shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu): “The wind fills the tower before the mountain rain arrives.” A more poetic and literary version of the above, signaling that major events are imminent.
• 愁云惨淡 (chóu yún cǎn dàn): “Sorrowful clouds, gloomy and bleak.” Similar imagery, but this term focuses more heavily on an atmosphere of sadness, grief, and despair rather than tension or threat.
• 气氛紧张 (qìfēn jǐnzhāng): “The atmosphere is tense.” This is a direct, non-idiomatic way to express the figurative meaning of 乌云密布. It's less vivid but very clear.
• 晴空万里 (qíng kōng wàn lǐ): “Clear sky for ten thousand miles.” The perfect antonym, used to describe both beautiful weather and, figuratively, a situation that is clear, hopeful, and without trouble.
• 阴天 (yīn tiān): “Overcast day.” A literal term for a cloudy day, but without the sense of darkness or impending storm that 乌云密布 implies.
• 黑云压城城欲摧 (hēi yún yā chéng chéng yù cuī): “Dark clouds press down on the city as if to destroy it.” A much more dramatic and intense idiom from a Tang dynasty poem, describing a dire, overwhelming, and near-apocalyptic threat.