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12 息 Breath

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Meaning

Primary

Breath

Word Type

noun

Explanation

The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.

Reading

いき
Kyoko
(Tokyo accent, female)
Kenichi
(Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it should use the kun'yomi reading. When learning the kanji, you didn't learn that reading, so here's a mnemonic to help you with this word: You smell someone's icky (いき) breath. It's gross. Your skin crawls and your eyes roll back in your head from the icky, icky smell. You might die.

Context

Patterns of Use

  • 〜の息
  • 息の〜
  • 息を〜
  • 息が〜

Common Word Combinations

  • 最後の息
    one's last breath
    自分の息
    one's own breath
    人の息
    people's breath
  • 息のスピード
    breathing speed
    息のにおい
    the smell of one's breath
    息の音
    the sound of breathing
  • 息を飲む
    to have one's breath taken away, to gulp
    息をする
    to breathe
    息を止める
    to hold one's breath
  • 息がつまる
    to become unable to breathe properly
    息が苦しい
    to have trouble breathing
    息が切れる
    to be short of breath

Context Sentences

あんたの息、死ぬほどくさいよ。

Your breath is so stinky that I could die.

びっくりしすぎて、息が止まるかと思ったよ。

You knocked the breath out of me!

水中で息はしないでください。

Please do not breathe underwater.

Kanji Composition