空気
kūki[kɯ̟ːkʲi]
The Japanese word for "air" is 空気 (kūki). Wiktionary also lists 天空 (tenkū).
Meaning: mixture of gases making up the atmosphere of the Earth (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 空気 | kūki | [kɯ̟ːkʲi] (narrow) |
| 天空 | tenkū | [tẽ̞ŋkɯ̟ː] (narrow) |
空気 refers to the mixture of gases that makes up the Earth's atmosphere and is used in a literal or scientific sense, such as the air we breathe.
Which one should you use?
While 空気 refers to the physical gas and the atmospheric environment, 天空 is a more literary term meaning "the firmament" or "the heavens," referring to the vast expanse of the sky. Note that the word 空 is also commonly used to represent the sky itself.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kūki
Did you know?
- In a social context, if someone 'reads the air', they are performing the common Japanese social skill known as 空気を読む (kūki o yomu).
- The term 空気 was not a traditional part of the Japanese vocabulary until it was coined by the scholar Maeno Ryōtaku in 1777.
- The character 空 used in 空気 is the same character that means 'empty' or 'void', linking the concept of air to the concept of emptiness.
Examples in context
- 朝は空気が新鮮だ。The air is fresh in the morning.This sentence demonstrates how to describe the freshness of the 空気.Tatoeba #126225 by bunbuku, translation #277766 by CK
- 月には空気がない。There is no air on the moon.This sentence illustrates the absence of 空気 on the moon.Tatoeba #175663 by arnab, translation #238802 by CK
- 空気は音の媒体だ。The air is a medium for sound.This sentence explains the role of 空気 as a medium for sound.Tatoeba #179378 by KK_kaku_, translation #18236 by Zifre
- 気温は高いですが、空気が乾燥しています。The temperature is high, but the air is dry.
- この部屋は空気が悪いので、窓を開けましょう。The air in this room is bad, so let's open the window.
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are walking in a city park.
- 健太 Kentaここは空気がいいですね。Koko wa kūki ga ii desu ne.The air is nice here, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当ですね。とても気持ちいいです。Hontō desu ne. Totemo kimochi ii desu.It really is. It feels very good.
- 健太 Kenta都会なのに空気がきれいです。Tokai nanoni kūki ga kirei desu.The air is clean even though it's the city.
- 美咲 Misaki木がたくさんあるからかもしれませんね。Ki ga takusan aru kara kamo shiremasen ne.Maybe it's because there are many trees.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “air” translations and entries 空気, 天空, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 空気, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
