読み過ぎる
よみすぎる
verb
to read too much; to overinterpret; to overthink
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 読み過ぎる | 読み過ぎない |
| Present polite | 読み過ぎます | 読み過ぎません |
| Past | 読み過ぎた | 読み過ぎなかった |
| Past polite | 読み過ぎました | 読み過ぎませんでした |
| て form | 読み過ぎて | 読み過ぎなくて |
| ている present | 読み過ぎている | 読み過ぎていない |
| ている polite | 読み過ぎています | 読み過ぎていません |
| ている past | 読み過ぎていた | 読み過ぎていなかった |
| ている past polite | 読み過ぎていました | 読み過ぎていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 読み過ぎれば | 読み過ぎなければ |
| Conditional たら | 読み過ぎたら | 読み過ぎなかったら |
| Volitional | 読み過ぎよう | — |
| Volitional polite | 読み過ぎましょう | — |
| Potential | 読み過ぎられる | 読み過ぎられない |
| Passive | 読み過ぎられる | 読み過ぎられない |
| Causative | 読み過ぎさせる | 読み過ぎさせない |
| Imperative | 読み過ぎろ | 読み過ぎるな |
1.
to read too much
To spend too much time reading, or to read an excessive amount of material.
漫画を読み過ぎて目が疲れた。
I read too many manga and my eyes got tired.
夜遅くまで小説を読み過ぎてしまった。
I ended up reading novels too late into the night.
スマホの画面を読み過ぎると肩がこる。
Reading your phone screen too much causes stiff shoulders.
2.
to overinterpret; to read too much into something; to overthink
To find meanings or intentions that are not actually there, attributing excessive significance to words, actions, or situations.
相手の言葉を読み過ぎないほうがいい。
It's better not to read too much into what the other person says.
空気を読み過ぎて疲れることがある。
Sometimes I get tired from overthinking the social atmosphere.
メールの文面を読み過ぎて、返信に時間がかかった。
I overanalyzed the wording of the email and it took me a long time to reply.
A compound verb from 読む (to read) + 過ぎる (to exceed; too much). Sense 2 is particularly common in modern Japanese, where 読む extends beyond literal reading to mean interpreting social cues, situations, and hidden meanings.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 空気を読み過ぎる: to overread the room; to be too sensitive to social atmosphere
- 相手の気持ちを読み過ぎる: to overanalyze someone's feelings
- 行間を読み過ぎる: to read too much between the lines
USAGE:
The figurative sense (overinterpreting) has become especially relevant in discussions about social anxiety and the pressure of 空気を読む culture in Japan.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 考え過ぎる: to overthink — more general, not limited to interpreting
- 深読みする: to read deeply into something — similar but neutral, can be positive