“云”字是一种象形字。在甲骨文中，“云”像气流在天空飘移的样子，上半部分是“二”，表示天，下半部分则是旋转的气流之形，突出了龙卷风的形象。
The character for "cloud" (云) is a pictographic word. In oracle bone script, the character for "cloud" resembles the movement of air currents drifting through the sky. The top part is "二", representing the sky, and the lower part depicts the swirling shape of air, emphasizing the image of a whirlwind.
在汉字中，“云”的本义是指大气中的水蒸气遇冷凝聚成的小水滴或冰晶的集合体，悬浮在空中。在造字时代的古人眼里，云是奇异的存在，无根无源，行踪不定。因此，“云”字形象地描绘了云的形态。
In Chinese characters, the original meaning of "cloud" refers to the collection of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere that condense when water vapor cools and floats in the air. To ancient people during the time of character creation, clouds were mysterious, rootless, and unpredictable in their movement. Therefore, the character for "cloud" vividly depicts its form.
在中国文化中，“云”常常被视为吉祥、美好的象征，比如人们经常用“祥云”来表达一种吉祥的预兆。当然，由于云的漂浮不定和形态多变，“云”也常被用来象征变化无常、捉摸不透的事物或现象。
In Chinese culture, clouds are often seen as symbols of good fortune and beauty. For example, the term "auspicious clouds" is commonly used to express a positive omen. However, due to clouds' ever-changing and unpredictable nature, the word "cloud" is also frequently used to symbolize things that are inconstant, elusive, or difficult to grasp.