also: ホッとひといき
sigh of relief; breather; short break
Used when someone relaxes after a tense or busy moment, often accompanied by a literal or figurative sigh. Can also refer to taking a short rest.
After the exam was over, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Let's take a short break during work.
Standard mixed kanji-kana spelling.
Katakana variant of the first part; often used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
All-hiragana spelling; common in casual writing.
Mixed katakana-hiragana variant.
Combination of the onomatopoeia ほっと (sound of a sigh of relief) and 一息 (one breath). The phrase literally means 'one relieved breath' and is used idiomatically for a sigh of relief or a short rest.