noun
Refers to the physical act of breathing or the breath itself. Often used in poetic or literary contexts.
彼女の息吹が白く見えた。
Her breath was visible as white vapor.
春の息吹を感じる。
I feel the breath of spring.
noun
Metaphorical use: a sign or feeling of something new, fresh, and full of life, such as the arrival of spring or a new era. Often used in poetic or literary expressions.
新しい時代の息吹が感じられる。
One can feel the vitality of a new era.
この絵からは生命の息吹が伝わってくる。
This painting conveys the breath of life.
Rare kanji form; not commonly encountered.
Compound of 息 (iki, 'breath') and 吹く (fuku, 'to blow'). The reading いぶき is a rendaku form of いきふき. The kanji 気吹 is an older, rare variant.