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風向き (kazamuki) Japanese meaning: wind direction | Kotomora

風かざ向むき

also: かぜむき

か

ざ

む

き

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

Literal meteorological meaning: the direction from which the wind is blowing.

今日きょうの風かざ向むきは北ほく西せいです。

The wind direction today is northwest.

2

situation; trend; mood

Figurative use: how things are developing, the current state of affairs, or the prevailing mood/atmosphere. Often used with 変わる, 見る, or 悪い.

会かい議ぎの風かざ向むきが急きゅうに変かわった。
The mood of the meeting suddenly changed.
世せ論ろんの風かざ向むきを見み極きわめる必ひつ要ようがある。
We need to gauge the trend of public opinion.

Usage patterns

風かざ向むきが変かわるfor the situation/mood to shift
会かい議ぎの途と中ちゅうで急きゅうに風かざ向むきが変かわった。
Midway through the meeting, the mood suddenly shifted.
風かざ向むきが悪わるいthe situation is unfavorable
最さい近きん、彼かれにとって風かざ向むきが悪わるいようだ。
Lately, things seem to be going against him.
風かざ向むきを見みるto watch how things are developing before acting
彼かれはしばらく風かざ向むきを見みてから発はつ言げんした。
He watched how things were going for a while before speaking up.

Kanji

風wind, air, style
向yonder, facing, beyond

Related words

雲くも行ゆき sense 2
雲行き literally describes the movement of clouds and figuratively implies an ominous turn of events, while 風向き is more neutral and can describe any shift in mood or trend.
情じょう勢せいN1sense 2
情勢 is a formal word for the overall state of affairs (often political or social), whereas 風向き is a more colloquial, everyday way to talk about how a situation or mood is shifting.
形けい勢せいN1sense 2
形勢 refers to the relative advantage or momentum in a contest or negotiation, while 風向き more broadly covers the general trend or mood of any situation.
風ふう向こう sense 1
風向 is the technical meteorological term for wind direction used in forecasts and navigation, while 風向き is the everyday word and also has the figurative sense of 'trend'.

Don't confuse with

風かぜ当あたり
風向き refers to the direction or trend a situation is taking, while 風当たり refers to the intensity of criticism or pressure one is receiving.

Written forms

風向きUsage100%
- かざむき
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading かざむき is the most common.
- かぜむき
  Alternate reading; less common than かざむき.
かぜむき

Etymology

Compound of 風 (kaze, 'wind') + 向き (muki, 'direction'). The reading かざむき is a common rendaku form.