空気
くうき
hepburn kuuki
air, atmosphere
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
空empty
Show part origins
氣spirit
Show part origins
Show stroke order animation
8 strokes · 5.5s
6 strokes · 4.1s
Examples
- 山の空気はおいしい。The mountain air is delicious.
- 会議の空気が重い。The atmosphere of the meeting is heavy.
Collocations
空気 (kuuki, air / atmosphere)空気を読む (kuuki o yomu, read the room)KY (kei wai, air-blind)空気清浄機 (kuuki seijouki, air purifier)雰囲気 (fun'iki, mood)
Mnemonic
Kuuki (空気) merges physical "air" and social "atmosphere / mood" — a core Japanese social term. Kuuki o yomu (read the air) is the default virtue of social adaptation; KY (kuuki ga yomenai, "can't read the air") is a 21st-century coinage labeling someone who misses social cues. Korean "bun-wi-gi pa-ak / nun-chi" and English "read the room" are equivalents, but the Japanese social coding is stronger — number one item in business etiquette. Rich metaphor: kuuki ga omoi (heavy air), kuuki o kaeru (change the air), and more.
Quick check
Social behavior captured by "kuuki o yomu"?