The Vocabulary of Indirection

Iwanu ga hana (言わぬが花): not saying it is the flower. Leaving something unsaid has more charm than saying it.

Kūki o yomu (空気を読む): to read the air. To sense the mood of a situation and act to suit it.

Hito o tateru (人を立てる): to put a person in between. In a negotiation, to let an agent or go-between step in between oneself and the other side. It also means stepping back so that another person keeps face.

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