探口气 tàn kǒuqi
[ascertain sb.'s opinions;sound sb.out] 设法引出某人的话,探听他对某人某事的态度和看法
从言语中试探心意。
《红楼梦.第二五回》:「马道婆见他如此说,便探他口气说道:『我还用你说,难道都看不出来。』」
英语 to sound out opinions, to get sb's views by polite or indirect questioning, also written 探口風|探口风[tan4 kou3 feng1]