見通し

• Reading: みとおし
• Romaji: mitooshi
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (mi) — see, look; 通 (too) — pass through, commute
• Pronunciation: /mi.toː.ɕi/

Meaning

Outlook; forecast; perspective; prospect. Also an unobstructed view or line of sight.

A noun derived from the verb 見通す (to see through/to foresee). Has two main uses: (1) a physical clear line of sight (見通しの良い道路 — a road with good visibility), and (2) a figurative forecast or outlook (経済の見通し — economic outlook). Common collocations include 見通しが甘い (overly optimistic forecast) and 見通しを立てる (to form a projection).

Examples

1. 来年の経済の見通しは明るいとは言えない。 The economic outlook for next year cannot be called bright.
2. 見通しの悪い交差点では特に注意が必要だ。 Extra caution is needed at intersections with poor visibility.
3. プロジェクトの完成時期について見通しを立てた。 We formed a projection regarding when the project would be completed.

Usage Guide

Context: business, economics, driving, planning

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

From 見 (mi, to see) + 通し (tooshi, passing through), the noun form of 見通す (to see all the way through). The physical sense of seeing through an unobstructed space naturally extended to the figurative sense of foreseeing future outcomes.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal