Japanese word

空気

Pronunciation

Romajikūki

Meaning

  • nounair

Example

外の空気は冷たいです。soto no kū ki wa tsume ta i de su

The air outside is cold.

Illustration for 空気 (air)

More examples

きれいな空気を吸います。ki re i na kū ki o su i ma su

I breathe clean air.

冬は部屋の空気が乾燥しています。fuyu wa heya no kū ki ga kan sō shi te i ma su

The air in the room is dry in winter.

Core concept

Describes the air filling a space and, by extension, the mood or atmosphere that people sense there.

Common phrases

  • 空気を読むkū ki o yo mu

    read the room

  • 新鮮な空気shin sen na kū ki

    fresh air

  • 空気を吸うkū ki o sū

    breathe air

Similar words

大気taiki: The air surrounding the earth, especially in scientific or formal descriptions.
雰囲気funiki: The mood or feeling present in a place, group, or situation.

Definition in Japanese

人や物の周囲を満たしている、呼吸に必要な気体。hito ya mono no shū i o mi ta shi te i ru ko kyū ni hitsu yō na ki tai

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese word 空気 (kūki) combines 空 (kū, "sky; empty") and 気 (ki, "air; energy"), giving the sense of air in the surrounding space.

Usage tips

  • The phrase 空気を読む (kūki o yomu) literally means "read the air" and describes noticing an unspoken social cue.

Other meanings

  • atmospherenoun

Word lists with this word