息(いき)

いき

noun

breath, breathing

See also: 行(い)き (going, bound for)

1. breath

Air taken into or expelled from the lungs.

息(いき)を吸(す)う。

To breathe in.

息(いき)を吐(は)いてください。

Please breathe out.

息(いき)を止(と)めて。

Hold your breath.

冬(ふゆ)は息(いき)が白(しろ)くなる。

In winter, your breath turns white.

深(ふか)く息(いき)を吸(す)いましょう。

Let's take a deep breath.

2. breathing

The process of respiration.

息(いき)が切(き)れた。

I'm out of breath.

階段(かいだん)を上(あ)がって息(いき)が荒(あら)くなった。

I was breathing heavily after climbing the stairs.

彼(かれ)とは息(いき)が合(あ)う。

I'm in sync with him.

息(いき)を抜(ぬ)く時間(じかん)が必要(ひつよう)だ。

I need time to take a breather.

走(はし)った後(あと)で息(いき)を整(ととの)えた。

I caught my breath after running.

息(いき) refers to both the physical breath (air inhaled/exhaled) and the act of breathing. It appears in many idiomatic expressions related to effort, coordination, and relaxation.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

息(いき)を吸(す)う: to inhale
息(いき)を吐(は)く: to exhale
息(いき)を止(と)める: to hold one's breath
息(いき)が切(き)れる: to be out of breath
息(いき)が荒(あら)い: to be breathing heavily
息(いき)を整(ととの)える: to catch one's breath

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS:

息(いき)が合(あ)う: to be in sync, to work well together
息(いき)を抜(ぬ)く: to take a breather, to relax
息(いき)を飲(の)む: to gasp (in surprise or awe)

COMPOUNDS:

溜息(ためいき): sigh
息子(むすこ): son (different meaning — uses the kanji 息(むす) in a compound)
息切(いきぎ)れ: shortness of breath

Related Words

Related: 呼吸(こきゅう) (breathing (formal))

basic

Added 2026.1.9 21:18 · Revised 2026.4.1 12:32

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