気 = "air/atmosphere/spirit/mood"
Both 空 and 天 can both be used to mean "sky". However...
空 is more specifically "empty/void"
天 is more specifically "heaven" (used as in 'the heavens' = the sky)
空気 is the empty/void-like stuff above above the land -- the air.
天気 is the current mood of the heavens -- the weather.
Just the way I always thought of it, maybe not totally correct though. :P
December 23, 2014 at 5:36am