意いを酌くむ

い

を

く

む

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-mu)

read someone's feelings; understand someone's unspoken thoughts; enter into someone's heart

Used when one intuitively grasps another person's emotions or intentions, often without explicit words. Common in empathetic or considerate contexts.

彼かれは相あい手ての意いを酌くんで、そっとしておいた。
He read the other person's feelings and left them alone.
上じょう司しは部ぶ下かの

意い

を

酌く

ん

で

、

仕し

事ごと

の

割わ

り

振ふ

り

を

変か

え

た

。

The boss understood his subordinate's unspoken wishes and changed the work assignments.

Written forms

意いを酌くむ
Standard kanji spelling; 酌む here means 'to draw out, to infer'.
意いをくむ
Kana spelling of the verb part; common in everyday writing.
意いを汲くむ
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 汲む normally means 'to draw water', but is sometimes used here by extension.

Kanji

意idea, mind, heart
酌bar-tending, serving sake, the host
汲draw (water), ladle, scoop

Similar words

気き持もちを汲くむ
Similar meaning, but 気持ちを汲む is more common and direct; 意を酌む is slightly more literary and focuses on intentions rather than raw emotions.
察さっする
A single verb meaning 'to guess, to sense'; 意を酌む is a set phrase that emphasizes actively drawing out someone's feelings.

Etymology

The phrase combines 意 (mind, feelings) with 酌む (originally 'to draw liquid', extended to 'to draw out, infer'). The irregular kanji 汲む is sometimes used due to a similar meaning of 'drawing water', but 酌む is standard.