The ordinary word for a breath or the act/state of breathing. Common in phrases such as 息を吸う, 息を吐く, 息が苦しい, and 息が切れる.
Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
走って駅まで来たので、まだ息が切れている。
I ran to the station, so I'm still out of breath.
harmony; rapport; being in sync
Used mainly in set expressions such as 息が合う and 息を合わせる, where 息 refers to shared timing, coordination, or rapport rather than literal breathing.
See also: 息が合う
二人の演奏は息がぴったり合っている。
The two musicians are perfectly in sync.
チーム全員で息を合わせて作業した。
The whole team worked in coordination.
A more figurative or literary use for white steam or vapor rising from something hot, as if it were breathing. In everyday speech, 湯気 is usually the more direct word for steam.
炊きたてのご飯から白い息が立っている。
White steam is rising from the freshly cooked rice.
He took a deep breath before starting to speak.
The two of them played in perfect sync with each other.
She exhaled slowly and relaxed her body.
He held his breath before going into the water.
Climbing the stairs leaves me short of breath.
On cold mornings you can see your breath in the air.
choking; suffocating; stifling · oppressive; heavy
shortness of breath; panting; puffing · running out of steam; losing momentum; loss of efficiency
sigh; long breath
nasal breathing; breath from the nose · excitement; enthusiasm; eagerness
breathing; respiration
breathing of a sleeping person; sleeping breath
rage; storm; be furious · enthuse; speak enthusiastically; get worked up
taking a breath; breathing pause · short break; breather
breathe heavily; pant; gasp; sigh · live; be alive
strain; bear down; push
long-lasting; sustained; prolonged · long-winded; drawn-out
deep sigh; heavy sigh
difficult breathing; heavy breathing; gasping
reek of liquor on one's breath
anxious sigh; pained sigh
take a breath; catch one's breath; take a short rest
gasp; under one's breath
life; breath of life
rest; break
strain; bear down