Turning

Slang Term British ★★★★☆ Common Casual
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Meaning: Weather changing (British)

天气在变化(英式英语)
El tiempo está cambiando (británico)
天気が変わりつつある(イギリス英語)
날씨가 변하고 있다 (영국 영어)

When someone says the weather is 'turning,' they almost always mean it's about to get worse—darker clouds arriving, wind picking up, rain threatening. It's a warning wrapped in understatement. The word implies observation of the sky and accumulated weather wisdom: experienced Brits can often sense a 'turn' before it arrives. Occasionally it's used positively ('turning nice'), but the default implication is deterioration.

当有人说天气在'turning'时,几乎总是意味着即将变差——乌云来临、风力增强、要下雨了。这是一个包装在轻描淡写中的警告。这个词暗示着对天空的观察和积累的天气智慧:有经验的英国人往往能在'转变'到来之前感觉到。偶尔也会用于积极的情况('turning nice'),但默认的含义是恶化。
Cuando alguien dice que el tiempo está 'turning', casi siempre significa que va a empeorar: nubes oscuras llegando, viento aumentando, lluvia amenazando. Es una advertencia envuelta en subestimación. La palabra implica observación del cielo y sabiduría meteorológica acumulada: los británicos experimentados a menudo pueden percibir un 'giro' antes de que llegue. Ocasionalmente se usa positivamente ('turning nice'), pero la implicación por defecto es deterioro.
誰かが天気が「turning」していると言う時、ほぼ常に悪くなりつつあることを意味する。暗い雲が近づき、風が強まり、雨が脅かしている。控えめな表現に包まれた警告。この言葉は空の観察と蓄積された天気の知恵を示唆する:経験豊富なイギリス人は「転換」が来る前にしばしば感じ取れる。たまにポジティブに使われる(「turning nice」)が、デフォルトの含意は悪化。
누군가 날씨가 'turning'이라고 말하면, 거의 항상 악화될 것이라는 의미입니다—더 어두운 구름이 다가오고, 바람이 세지고, 비가 올 조짐이 보입니다. 절제된 표현으로 감싼 경고입니다. 이 단어는 하늘을 관찰하고 축적된 날씨 지혜를 함의합니다: 경험 많은 영국인은 종종 'turn'이 오기 전에 감지할 수 있습니다. 가끔 긍정적으로 사용되기도 하지만('turning nice'), 기본적인 함의는 악화입니다.

Examples

  1. The weather's turning.
    天气在变差
    El tiempo está cambiando
    天気が崩れてきている
    날씨가 변하고 있어.
  2. Looks like it's turning.
    看起来要变天了
    Parece que está cambiando
    崩れそうだ
    변할 것 같아.
  3. It's turning nasty.
    天气变坏了
    Se está poniendo feo
    天気が悪くなってきた
    날씨가 나빠지고 있어.
  4. Starting to turn.
    开始变了
    Está empezando a cambiar
    崩れ始めている
    변하기 시작해.

Pronunciation

/ˈtɜːnɪŋ/

Usage Guide

Context: changing weather, warning, British

Tone: observational, warning

✓ Do Say

  • It's turning.
    天气要变了
    El tiempo está cambiando
    天気が変わりそうだ
    변하고 있어.
  • Weather's turning.
    天气在转变
    El tiempo está cambiando
    天気が崩れてきた
    날씨가 변하고 있어.
  • Looks like it's turning.
    看起来天气要变了
    Parece que el tiempo va a cambiar
    天気が変わりそうだね
    변할 것 같아.

✗ Don't Say

  • Don't use hopefully—'turning' typically implies worsening, not improving
    不要充满希望地使用('turning'通常意味着变差,而不是变好)
    No usar esperanzadamente ('turning' típicamente implica empeoramiento, no mejora)
    希望を込めて使わない(「turning」は通常、良くなるのではなく悪くなることを意味する)
    희망적으로 사용하지 마세요—'turning'은 보통 악화를 의미합니다
  • Specify with 'turning nice' if you mean improvement—unqualified 'turning' sounds ominous
    如果意思是好转,要具体说'turning nice'(不加修饰的'turning'听起来不祥)
    Especificar con 'turning nice' si te refieres a mejora ('turning' sin calificar suena ominoso)
    改善を意味するなら「turning nice」と具体的に言う(修飾なしの「turning」は不吉に聞こえる)
    호전을 의미할 때는 'turning nice'라고 구체적으로 말하세요—그냥 'turning'은 불길하게 들립니다

Common Mistakes

Origin & History

The verb 'turn' has meant to change direction or condition since Old English. Applied to weather, it captures the sense of conditions rotating from one state to another. The phrase has been used in British weather observation for centuries, reflecting the island's famously changeable climate where weather systems regularly 'turn' as Atlantic fronts arrive. The ominous default interpretation likely stems from bitter experience.

Etymology: From turning/changing

First recorded: British English

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: British weather; British culture

Regional notes: British expression for changing weather.

Variations

TurningWeather's turningIt's turning

More From This Topic

Lovely day ★★★★★ A pleasant day (British weather chat) Overcast ★★★★★ Covered in clouds Crisp ★★★★★ Cold, fresh, and clear Clearing up ★★★★★ Weather improving, clouds moving away Freezing ★★★★★ Very cold Mild ★★★★★ Pleasantly warm, not extreme
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