In the context of 「冬場は朝の空気がピンと張{は}りつめている」I'm confused about 「張りつめている」.

I've seen examples where `空気が張りつめている` means `a tense atmosphere/air,` but how
would this be expressed in the context of "winter morning air"? Can winter
morning air be "tense"? And would this a positive or negative feeling?

I've come across a synonym in an online dictionary that said "tingling" but
gave no example. When I think of "tingling/tingley" I think of "electrifying"
or "chill(ing)" - something that sends a feeling through your body - so would
it be a stretch to say that this could possibly be similar to `brisk` or
`crisp` or `bracing` (or any other synonym of "brisk")? I just can't get past
a description of winter morning air as being `tense` or `stifling`.
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meaning words
What does 「張りつめている」 mean?
If **空気がピンと張っている** is difficult to understand, I think that **"空気が澄んでいる** :
the air/atmosphere is pure" is close. If the temperature is low and dry, there
usually is not so much water vapor in the air, it normally doesn't contain
much dust, sand or something. Then you can feel the pure air. You may feel
lively. I think it's a close feel of **"空気がピンと張り詰めている".**

New edition of Edit 1:

Normally on a cold day, air(it contains water vapor) which is a gaseous state
tends to be solid state, which is likely to be a crystal. It's more ordered
and lucid. if you have ever touched crystal, it's rigid, tense.

"空気がピンと張っている” is more of a metaphorical expression, it's not really talking
about physics or chemistry though, but it might be related to the condition
that the air has been changing into a more rigid state.

Below Old edition: which is more related to stifling case, stressful
situation.

"張る" is used when you string your guitar. **ギターの弦を強く張る.** implies to string
your guitar tighter. If you ever have strung a guitar and the string is not
tight, it sounds really dull and not tense. On the other hand, if your guitar
string is very tight, it sounds sharper but maybe making you worry about due
to the high tension of guitar string. It might lead to the guitar being
broken. **"空気がピンと張り詰めている"** is a metaphorical expression. But it may be
related to guitar. The high strung guitar is high tension, then it leads to
broken guitar. So, if the air of some situation is in a high tension, it might
be going to be broken.
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# English

> 空気{くうき}がピンと張｛は｝り詰｛つ｝めている  
>  Literally it could be said, " _the air is tightly tense up to the limit_ ".

In Japanese, this is the common expression describing the temperature is very
low in winter. Please remember it as a set phrase. It has nothing to do with
"to be tense" in English, but as kimi Tanaka explains earnestly, in Japanese
we feel the air tightens metaphorically when it is cold like a string of the
giutar "is in high tension".

On the contrary, we say "寒｛さむ｝さが緩｛ゆる｝む _It gets warmer._ literally _the cold
temperature becomes loosened_ ". "To loosen" is an antonym for "to tighten" or
"to strain". When it gets warmer, the cat lies in a sunny place and often
looks "get relaxed" or "be loosened".

If you can understand a little that "寒さが緩む" means "it gets warmer", please
understand that "空気が張り詰める" or "空気がピンと張る" means "the temperature is low" as the
opposite meaning of "空気が緩む".

* * *

### EDIT

"空気がピンと張り詰める" must be cold and **dry** that is also written in kimi Tanaka's
answer.

I looked up in an English dictionary at hand and I found the meaning for
"crisp". It says:

> ### crisp
>
> adj.  
>  1. hard; dry; easily broken  
>  ...  
>  3. **(of the air, weather, etx.) cold, dry, and fresh: crisp winter day**  
>  ...

I think the third meaning of "crisp" is something like "空気がピンと張り詰めている".

# 日本語

> 空気がピンと張り詰めている

日本語では冬になって、気温が大変低いことをこのように表現します。セットフレーズとして覚えてください。英語の to be tense
とは全く関係ありませんが、kimi
Tanakaさんが丁寧に説明しているように、日本語では寒いことをギターの「弦が張っている」ように感じて、比喩的に表現します。

逆に、気温が上昇して暖かくなることを、「寒さが緩｛ゆる｝む」と言います。「緩む」は「張る」や「緊張する」の反意語です。暖かくなると、猫が日当たりの良い場所で体を伸ばして「弛緩している」あるいは「リラックスして寝そべって」姿をよく見ます。「弛緩する」は
英語では _get relaxed_ or _be loosened_ に当たります。

「寒さが緩む」が暖かくなることであると少し理解できるなら、その反対の意味として「空気がピンと張る」「空気が張り詰める」は「気温が低い」ことだと理解してください。
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