also: びそく
nasal breathing; breath from the nose
Literal sense: the act of breathing through the nose, or the breath itself. Used in medical, descriptive, or figurative contexts.
My nose was stuffed from a cold, and my nasal breathing became heavy.
His breath from his nose tickled the back of my neck.
excitement; enthusiasm; eagerness
Only with reading はないき
Figurative use, often in the phrase 鼻息が荒い, describing someone who is fired up, aggressive, or overly eager. Restricted to the reading はないき.
The new employee was so fired up that he surprised his seniors.
Before the election, every candidate is full of fighting spirit.
It was so quiet that I could hear the breathing of the person sitting next to me.
The other party in the negotiation got worked up and pushed their demands aggressively.
The players charged into the venue, breathing hard with excitement.