風通(かぜとお)し

かぜとおし
noun
ventilation; openness
businesscommunication
1. ventilation; air circulation
The flow of air through a space; how well air circulates.
この部屋(へや)は風通(かぜとお)しがいい。
This room has good ventilation.
風通(かぜとお)しをよくするために窓(まど)を開(あ)けた。
I opened the window to improve the ventilation.
密閉(みっぺい)空間(くうかん)は風通(かぜとお)しが悪(わる)く湿気(しっけ)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(しょくば)の風通(かぜとお)しをよくしたい。
I want to improve communication at the workplace.
風通(かぜとお)しのいい組織(そしき)は問題(もんだい)を早期(そうき)に発見(はっけん)できる。
Organizations with good communication can detect problems early.
風通(かぜとお)しの悪(わる)い会社(かいしゃ)では意見(いけん)が通(とお)りにくい。
In companies with poor communication, it's hard to get your opinions heard.

風通(かぜとお)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(かぜとお)しがいい: has good ventilation/communication
  • 風通(かぜとお)しが悪(わる)い: has poor ventilation/communication
  • 風通(かぜとお)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.

general
Added 2026.1.31 8:03 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
09000/09032_kazetooshi