鼻はな息いきをうかがう

expression, godan verb (-u)

sound out someone's feelings; gauge someone's mood; read someone's reaction

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'to peek at someone's nasal breath', used when trying to discern what someone is thinking or how they feel, often in a cautious or deferential manner.

See also: 鼻息 (はないき)

• 上じょう司しの鼻はな息いきをうかがいながら、提てい案あんのタイミングを計はかった。

  I gauged my boss's mood and waited for the right moment to make my suggestion.

• 彼かれはいつも周まわりの鼻はな息いきをうかがってばかりで、自じ分ぶんの意い見けんを言いわない。

  He's always just sounding out the people around him and never states his own opinion.