Translation guide
Describes something located or happening far above the ground. Japanese uses different expressions depending on whether you are describing a static location, movement, or a figurative sense.
To say that something is positioned high in the sky, like a bird, a plane, or the moon.
Adverbial phrase meaning 'high in the sky'. Used with verbs of position or state.
月が空高く昇っている。
The moon is high in the sky.
Literally 'at a high place in the sky'. More descriptive and slightly more conversational.
飛行機が空の高いところを飛んでいる。
The airplane is flying high in the sky.
Noun meaning 'the sky above' or 'upper air'. Often used in weather forecasts or formal descriptions.
上空に雲が広がっている。
Clouds are spreading high in the sky.
To describe something going upward to a great height, like a bird taking off or a rocket launching.
Verb phrase meaning 'to soar high into the sky'. Often used for birds or things that fly gracefully.
鳥が空高く舞い上がった。
The bird soared high into the sky.
Means 'to rise high in the sky'. Used for the sun, moon, or smoke.
太陽が空高く昇った。
The sun rose high in the sky.
Formal expression for 'to take off into the sky'. Used for aircraft or rockets.
ロケットが上空へ飛び立った。
The rocket took off high into the sky.
To emphasize that something is extremely high, often in a dramatic or poetic way.
Literary phrase meaning 'high in the heavens'. Used in set phrases like '天高く馬肥ゆる秋' (autumn with clear skies and fat horses).
天高くそびえる山々。
Mountains towering high into the sky.
Literally 'up to above the clouds'. Used to describe something extremely high, like a skyscraper.
そのビルは雲の上まで届きそうだ。
That building seems to reach high into the sky.
The English phrase 'high in the sky' is often translated word-for-word as '空に高く' (sora ni takaku), but this sounds unnatural. Use the adverbial phrase '空高く' (sora takaku) instead.