空気

See also: 空氣

Japanese

Kanji in this term
空	気
くう Grade: 1	き Grade: 1
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
空氣 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Coined by Maeno Ryōtaku in 1777.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) く​うき [kúꜜùkì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟ᵝːkʲi]

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

空(くう)気(き) • (kūki) 

1. air, atmosphere
   • 1999 November 18, “エア・イーター [Air Eater]”, in Vol.6, Konami:

     周(しゅう)囲(い)の空(くう)気(き)を食(た)べてしまい、相(あい)手(て)を窒(ちっ)息(そく)させるモンスター。

     Shūi no kūki o tabete shimai, aite o chissoku saseru monsutā.

     A monster that feeds on all of the surrounding air and suffocates its opponent.

2. mood, atmosphere, usually with peer pressure
3. (colloquial, figurative) someone or something with a weak presence

Synonyms

• (air): 大気(たいき) (taiki)
• (mood): 雰囲気(ふんいき) (fun'iki)

References

• Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
• 2000, Jonathan Bunt, Gillian Hall, The Oxford Starter Japanese Dictionary, First Edition, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN