空気(くうき)読(よ)む

くうきよむ
expression
to read the room, to pick up on the atmosphere
spokencolloquialsocietycommunication
1. to read the room, to pick up on the atmosphere
To sense the mood or unspoken feelings of those around you and act appropriately. A key social skill in Japanese culture.
空気(くうき)読(よ)んでよ。
Read the room, will you.
彼(かれ)は空気(くうき)を読(よ)むのが上手(じょうず)だ。
He's good at reading the room.
会議中(かいぎちゅう)に空気(くうき)を読(よ)まずに冗談(じょうだん)を言(い)って、場(ば)が凍(こお)った。
I told a joke without reading the room during the meeting, and everyone went silent.

Cultural note

Sensing the mood of a group and acting accordingly (空気(くうき)を読(よ)む) is considered a basic social skill in Japan. Someone who fails at it is 空気(くうき)が読(よ)めない; the abbreviation KY (Kuuki Yomenai) was a buzzword around 2007 and now sounds dated.

Usage

The headword drops を, as casual speech often does: 空気(くうき)読(よ)んで. Writing and careful speech use the full form 空気(くうき)を読(よ)む.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.10 9:31 · Revised 2026.10.11 22:08
10500/10758_kuukiyomu