1.
quick wit, resourcefulness, presence of mind
The ability to think and respond quickly and cleverly in unexpected situations.
機転が利く人だ。
That's someone with quick wit.
機転を利かせて危機を乗り越えた。
Using quick thinking, I overcame the crisis.
あの場面で機転を利かせて嘘をついたおかげで、大事にならずに済んだ。
Thanks to the quick thinking of telling a white lie in that situation, it didn't turn into a big deal.
USAGE:
Almost always appears in the set phrases 機転が利く (to be quick-witted) and 機転を利かせる (to use one's quick wit). Rarely used outside these collocations.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 機転が利く: to be resourceful, to be quick-witted
- 機転を利かせる: to use quick thinking, to think on one's feet
- 機転が利かない: to lack resourcefulness
NOTE:
The verb is 利く, not 聞く. Both are read きく but have different meanings.