reading between the lines; inferring true intent from speech
Refers to the act of discerning a speaker's real meaning or hidden intention based on their tone, choice of words, or manner of speaking. Often used in contexts like negotiations or interviews.
I tried to sound out his true intentions, but he skillfully evaded me.
In negotiations, it's important to read between the lines of what the other party says.
divination by listening to someone's words
Only when written 口占
Archaic fortune-telling practice where good or bad luck was divined from overhearing a passerby's words. No longer used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
Kuchiura is an old custom of divining fortune from the words of a passerby.
getting stories straight; arranging a consistent story
Standard kanji spelling for the modern sense; used in news and general writing.
Kana-mixed spelling that can be used when the kanji 裏 is avoided or for clarity.
Archaic spelling used specifically for the divination sense.
Compound of 口 (mouth/speech) and 裏 (back/reverse), literally 'the back of words'. The archaic sense uses 占 (divination) instead of 裏, reflecting its fortune-telling origin.