気圧計(きあつけい)

きあつけい
noun
barometer; air pressure gauge
1. barometer; instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure
An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure, used in meteorology, aviation, mountaineering, and home weather stations. 気圧計(きあつけい) is the standard term, covering everything from old-fashioned mercury and aneroid barometers to digital sensors built into watches and smartphones.
気圧計(きあつけい)を見(み)る。
I check the barometer.
時計(とけい)に気圧計(きあつけい)が付(つ)いている。
The watch has a built-in barometer.
気圧計(きあつけい)が急(きゅう)に下(さ)がったら、天気(てんき)が崩(くず)れるサインだ。
When the barometer drops sharply, it's a sign that the weather is about to turn bad.
登山者(とざんしゃ)は気圧計(きあつけい)付(つ)きの腕時計(うでどけい)で高度(こうど)や天候(てんこう)の変化(へんか)を常(つね)に確認(かくにん)している。
Mountain climbers constantly check changes in altitude and weather using a wristwatch with a built-in barometer.

気圧計(きあつけい) is the standard Japanese word for a barometer — any device that measures atmospheric pressure.

FORMATION:

  • 気圧(きあつ) ("atmospheric pressure") + 計(けい) ("-meter, gauge") → 気圧計(きあつけい)
  • The 〜計(けい) suffix forms many measuring-instrument names (温度計(おんどけい) "thermometer," 湿度計(しつどけい) "hygrometer," 体重計(たいじゅうけい) "bathroom scale").

TYPES:

  • 水銀気圧計(すいぎんきあつけい): mercury barometer (the classic laboratory instrument)
  • アネロイド気圧計(きあつけい): aneroid barometer (the dial-and-needle type)
  • デジタル気圧計(きあつけい): digital barometer (the kind built into smartwatches and weather stations)
  • バロメーター: "barometer" (loanword) — sometimes used as a synonym, but more often in figurative senses (e.g., "a barometer of public opinion")

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 気圧計(きあつけい)が上(あ)がる / 下(さ)がる: the barometer rises / falls
  • 気圧計(きあつけい)付(つ)きの腕時計(うでどけい): a wristwatch with a built-in barometer
  • 気圧計(きあつけい)を見(み)る / 確認(かくにん)する: to check the barometer
  • デジタル気圧計(きあつけい): digital barometer

SIMILAR / RELATED TERMS:

  • 気圧(きあつ): atmospheric pressure (the quantity being measured)
  • 大気圧(たいきあつ): atmospheric pressure (the formal scientific term)
  • バロメーター: barometer (loanword) — more often used figuratively (e.g., "社会(しゃかい)情勢(じょうせい)のバロメーター" "a barometer of social conditions") than for the physical instrument
  • 高度計(こうどけい): altimeter — closely related, since aneroid altimeters work by measuring air pressure
  • 湿度計(しつどけい): hygrometer (humidity gauge)
  • 温度計(おんどけい): thermometer

USAGE NOTES:

  • For the literal weather instrument, native speakers usually say 気圧計(きあつけい), not バロメーター. バロメーター shows up most often in figurative phrases like "the barometer of X."
  • A modern smartwatch's pressure-and-altitude function is typically labeled 気圧計(きあつけい)・高度計(こうどけい) in Japanese product specs.
general
Added 2026.5.10 12:10
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