Figurative extension: the way a situation is developing, especially when it seems to be taking a negative or uncertain turn. Common in news and everyday conversation.

交こう渉しょうの雲くも行ゆきが怪あやしい。
The negotiations are taking a dubious turn.
雲くも行ゆきが悪わるくなってきたので、早はやめに帰かえった。
Since the situation was getting worse, I went home early.

Usage patterns

雲くも行ゆきが変かわるfor the situation (or weather) to take a turn
交こう渉しょうの途と中ちゅうで急きゅうに雲くも行ゆきが変かわった。
The negotiations suddenly took a turn midway through.
雲くも行ゆきが悪わるくなるfor things (weather or a situation) to start looking bad
会かい議ぎが進すすむにつれて雲くも行ゆきが悪わるくなった。
As the meeting went on, things started looking bad.
雲くも行ゆきを見みるto watch how things (the sky or a situation) are developing
しばらく雲くも行ゆきを見みてから決きめよう。
Let's watch how things develop for a while before deciding.

Expressions

雲くも行ゆきが怪あやしいthe clouds look menacing; threatening weather · things don't look good; the situation looks ominous

Kanji

雲cloud
行going, journey, carry out

Related words· 8

空そら模も様よう sense 1
空模様 focuses purely on the visual appearance of the sky, while 雲行き often carries a figurative sense of how things (weather or affairs) are about to develop.
形けい勢せいN1sense 2
形勢 is a formal term for the strategic state of affairs, while 雲行き is a more casual, metaphorical way to describe how a situation is unfolding, often ominously.
天てん気きN5sense 1
天気 is the plain, general word for weather, whereas 雲行き specifically describes the sky's look and the direction the weather seems to be taking.
情じょう勢せいN1sense 2
情勢 refers broadly to the general state of affairs (often political or social), while 雲行き specifically implies a sense of change or looming trouble.

Show 4 more

成なり行ゆきN1sense 2
成り行き describes the natural course events take, while 雲行き emphasizes the early signs suggesting how things might turn out, often for the worse.
風ふう雲うん
雲行き is a colloquial term for how a situation is developing (often short-term), while 風雲 is a literary, grander word for turbulent times or the state of the world.
風かざ向むきN1

Written forms

雲くも行ゆきUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news word.
雲くもゆきUsage9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kana-kanji mixed form; not a standard written variant.

Etymology

Compound of 雲 (cloud) and 行き (going, from 行く). Literally 'the way clouds are moving', extended metaphorically to the development of a situation.

雲行き literally describes the movement of clouds and figuratively implies an ominous turn of events, while 風向き is more neutral and can describe any shift in mood or trend.

暗あん雲うん

雲行き describes the 'look' or trend of a situation (as in 雲行きが怪しい), while 暗雲 specifically evokes a dark, threatening sign of trouble.