1.
to ruin the atmosphere; to kill the mood; to destroy the vibe
To say or do something that disrupts the harmonious or positive atmosphere of a social situation. Related to the cultural concept of 'reading the air' (空気を読む).
空気を壊すようなことを言ってしまった。
I ended up saying something that ruined the mood.
せっかくの楽しい雰囲気を壊さないでほしい。
Please don't ruin the fun atmosphere.
彼はいつも場の空気を壊すような発言をする。
He always makes remarks that kill the mood.
USAGE:
空気 (air/atmosphere) in Japanese social contexts refers to the unspoken mood, tone, or consensus of a group. 空気を壊す means to disrupt this shared atmosphere, often by saying something inappropriate, insensitive, or off-topic.
Related to the well-known expression 空気を読む (to read the atmosphere), which describes the valued ability to sense the mood and act accordingly. A person who cannot do this is called KY (空気読めない).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 場の空気を壊す (to ruin the atmosphere of the place)
- 空気を壊す発言 (a mood-killing remark)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 空気を読む: to read the room — the ability to sense the mood
- 場を白けさせる: to dampen the mood — similar meaning, emphasizes awkward silence