1.
ventilation; air circulation
The flow of air through a space; how well air circulates.
この部屋は風通しがいい。
This room has good ventilation.
風通しをよくするために窓を開けた。
I opened the window to improve the ventilation.
密閉空間は風通しが悪く湿気がこもる。
Enclosed spaces have poor ventilation and trap humidity.
2.
openness; communication flow
How freely information and opinions flow in an organization or relationship; transparency.
職場の風通しをよくしたい。
I want to improve communication at the workplace.
風通しのいい組織は問題を早期に発見できる。
Organizations with good communication can detect problems early.
風通しの悪い会社では意見が通りにくい。
In companies with poor communication, it's hard to get your opinions heard.
風通し has both literal and figurative meanings.
SENSE 1 (LITERAL):
- About air circulation in spaces
- Important for comfort and preventing mold
SENSE 2 (FIGURATIVE):
- About organizational communication and openness
- Very common in business contexts
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 風通しがいい: has good ventilation/communication
- 風通しが悪い: has poor ventilation/communication
- 風通しをよくする: to improve ventilation/communication
BUSINESS USAGE:
The figurative sense is extremely common in Japanese business, often appearing in discussions of corporate culture and organizational health.