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日和見 (ひよりみ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
opportunism ; wait-and-see attitude ; sitting on the fence
Describes a person or stance that avoids commitment and instead watches how a situation develops before deciding which side to support. Often carries a negative nuance of self-serving flexibility. Commonly used as a noun or with する to mean 'to wait and see' or 'to be an opportunist'.
Before the election, many politicians adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
Kanji 和 harmony, Japanese style, peace Similar words ご 都つ 合ごう 主しゅ 義ぎ ご都合主義 is a more explicit term for self-serving opportunism, often used in criticism. 日和見 focuses more on the act of waiting to see which way the wind blows before committing.
様よう 子す 見み 様子見 is a neutral, practical 'wait-and-see' approach, often used in business or daily situations without the negative connotation of opportunism that 日和見 can carry.
Etymology Compound of 日和 (ひより, 'weather') and 見 (み, 'seeing'). Originally referred to observing the weather to decide on a course of action, then extended metaphorically to mean waiting to see how a situation develops before taking sides.