1To read someone's fortune or foretell the future using methods such as astrology, tarot cards, or palm reading.
元旦に神社でおみくじを引いて今年の運勢を占った。
On New Year's Day I drew an omikuji at the shrine to divine my fortune for the year.
彼女は星占いで相性を占うのが好きだ。
She likes using astrology to divine compatibility.
手相占い師に将来を占ってもらった。
I had a palm reader divine my future.
古代の人々は亀の甲羅で吉凶を占っていた。
Ancient people used tortoise shells to divine good or bad fortune.
2To predict or forecast how things will turn out, based on current conditions or signs.
この試合の結果が今後のシリーズの行方を占うことになる。
The result of this game will be a sign of how the rest of the series will go.
第一四半期の業績が今年一年を占う指標となる。
The first quarter's performance serves as an indicator forecasting the whole year.
若者の投票率が選挙の行方を占う鍵になる。
Youth voter turnout is a key factor in predicting the election's outcome.