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I understand what 눈치 means, but don't know how I would describe it to someone who does not know what this is.
The best way I would describe it to someone would be to have an awareness of your surroundings and others
Someone that doesn't have it could be considered to be clueless, doesn't pick up on social cues, and overall unaware of gauging the atmosphere and adjusting to it.
Would this be a decent explanation of this term?
눈치 없다 is can not read other's intension or misread and act some weird thing.
1) A : I am thirsty 나 목말라.
B : Because we ate salty food at lunch 점심을 짜게 먹어서 그래
(Here suitable answer may be "let's go supermarket")
2) When some girl gave to boy friend hints for her birthday date, but he did not prepare the present. And he say " Why did not you say it ? "
3) 눈치없는 행동 (misreading) frequently appears in a new employee. In several situation, the new must be diligent to provide conveniences to boss or supervisors. But he does not do them.
Or in company, superior usually got dominant times (for instance, goal trial) at soccer game or any event, but the new does not try to move his body into outside.
Maybe "Emotional Intelligence" is close? As I understand it though, 눈치 tends to be more specific to a certain kind of situational awareness of how people around you are feeling, whereas Emotional Intelligence is a broader term.
