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I've often seen 'read the air' (literal translation) or 'read between the
lines' but is there a better rendition of this concept in English? Or does it
just not exist?
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2013-09-12T03:20:13.143
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2020-02-17T05:02:48.177
2020-02-17T05:02:48.177
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question
translation word-requests idioms
How is 空気を読む translated into English?
I don't think "read between the lines" accurately conveys the intended meaning
of `空気{くうき}を読{よ}む`. Reading between the lines is usually if you are given a
specific phrase, written or spoken, and you are expected to understand an
implied, and intended, meaning that is not directly stated. Whereas reading
the air, as far as I know, is about understanding a situational context, which
may have no verbal component, that might ensue whether or not anyone intended
it to be that way. Reading the air is much more ethereal than reading between
the lines.

There is no one-to-one match in English for "reading the air", but the concept
definitely exists. Never mistake not having a set phrase for not grasping a
reality. People talk about that kind of thing all the time, it's just that
they will have to construct descriptions from words and grammar suited to the
situation, not easily refer to a preset.

If someone had no ability to read the air, I would simply say that person was
"oblivious". If someone did have the ability to read the air, I would say that
person was "intuitive", "perceptive", or "sensitive".

Sensitive to what? The "atmosphere", the "mood", or the "situation". Or, to be
even more ethereal, I might just use "it" to encompass the things I feel I
can't encompass, like when we say, "don't you get it?".

So, for situations of not successfully reading the air, I might say, "That guy
is oblivious to the situation". For successful reads, "that guy really gets
it." If I wanted to push someone, I might say, "dude, can't you see what's
going on here?"

Other _related_ phrases that might give you a sense of how English applies in
similar situations are _(note these are just my own constructions, easily
understood but not conventional)_ :

  * "Do I have to spell it out for you?"

  * "There's more going on here than meets the eye."

  * "Get with it."

In short, to describe reading the air in English, you'll have to successfully
read the air to the point where you can apply the most suitable English
phrasing.

As a last note, I think "read the air" has a high potential for transfer into
English. I believe that if one person told another to "read the air", and even
if they had no knowledge of the Japanese phrase, the meaning would very likely
be understood. It sounds a little poetic, but well within the bounds of
everyday usability.

In fact, I think I'm going to start using it in English, as I feel like it
closes a lexical gap. We have the idea, but not the phrase. So if you ever
hear someone in English refer to "reading the air" as a part of their
discourse, you'll know where it started. `;)`.
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2013-09-12T04:18:51.633
12791
2013-09-12T04:24:52.257
2013-09-12T04:24:52.257
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answer
In this particular case 空気 is similar to 雰囲気.

So 雰囲気を読む or 場の雰囲気を読む has a pretty similar meaning to 空気を読む.

I'd translate 空気 as the "mood" or "feel", in this particular case.
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2015-09-06T10:59:36.747
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2015-09-06T10:59:36.747
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answer
I think it would most closely be something along the lines of "read the mood"
in English, because it's talking about something that isn't spoken but rather
felt in the way someone is talking to you. To 'read the air' could be to enter
a room and immediately feel as mood difference from the people in the room, or
to understand what a person is telling you at a higher level than just what
words they are saying, but rather understanding what the specific person is
either implying or what emotions are being felt at the time. the 'air' is
seemingly not tangible just like the 'mood' of someone or multiple people, yet
some people can feel when somethings off, while more clueless people can't
'read' it at all.
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2020-01-02T22:40:17.300
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2020-02-14T21:29:13.607
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answer
Not a literal translation but “read the room” or “feel the atmosphere” have
similar idiomatic usage in English.
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2020-02-15T12:24:30.597
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answer
Being emotionally intelligent is somewhat of a similar expression, though not
exactly.
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2020-02-17T03:31:50.967
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answer