口くち裏うら

noun

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.

• 彼かれの口くち裏うらを探さぐろうとしたが、うまくはぐらかされた。

  I tried to sound out his true intentions, but he skillfully evaded me.

• 交こう渉しょうでは相あい手ての口くち裏うらを読よむことが重じゅう要ようだ。

  In negotiations, it's important to read between the lines of what the other party says.

noun

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.

• 口くち占うらは、通とおりすがりの人ひとの言こと葉ばで吉きっ凶きょうを占うらなう古ふるい風ふう習しゅうだ。

  Kuchiura is an old custom of divining fortune from the words of a passerby.