To look at and understand written characters, books, or text (to read).
毎晩寝る前に小説を読むのが習慣です。
I have a habit of reading novels every night before bed.
メールを全部読んでから返信してください。
Please read all the emails before replying.
彼は英語の新聞を速く読むことができる。
He can read English newspapers quickly.
To recite aloud (e.g., sutras or poems); to chant or read aloud.
法事で住職が経を読む声が静かに響いた。
At the memorial service, the priest's chanting of the sutra echoed quietly.
教師は教室で詩を一人ずつ読むように指示した。
The teacher instructed the students to take turns reading the poem aloud in class.
To predict, guess, or read (someone's thoughts/situation); to divine or foresee.
彼は相手の本心を読むのが上手だ。
He's good at reading what others really think.
天気予報士は気圧の変化から天候を読む。
A weather forecaster reads the weather from changes in air pressure.
To pronounce; to read aloud the pronunciation of characters or words.
この漢字はどう読むのですか？
How is this kanji read?
子どもが教科書の単語を一つずつ読む練習をしている。
The child is practicing reading the vocabulary in the textbook one by one.
To decipher or interpret readings (e.g., meters, graphs, music); to tell the time or read instruments.
医者は検査結果のグラフを読み、異常を指摘した。
The doctor read the test result graph and pointed out abnormalities.
楽譜を読めると、初見で曲を演奏しやすい。
If you can read sheet music, it's easier to sight-read a piece.
To count or estimate; in idioms (e.g., サバを読む) it can mean to falsify numbers or underestimate/overestimate intentionally.
飲み会で年齢をサバを読んで答える人がいる。
At drinking parties some people misstate their age (read off the numbers) to look younger.
To read a kanji using its native Japanese (kun) reading.
『山』は訓読みで『やま』と読む。
The kanji '山' is read in its kun-reading as 'yama'.