空

See also: 🈳

空 U+7A7A, 空 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7A7A ← 穹 [U+7A79] CJK Unified Ideographs 穻 → [U+7A7B]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

空 (Kangxi radical 116, 穴+3, 8 strokes, cangjie input 十金一 (JCM), four-corner 3010₁, composition ⿱穴工)

Derived characters

• 倥, 啌, 埪, 崆, 悾, 控, 涳, 𣈞, 腔, 椌, 焢, 㸜, 硿, 䅝, 羫, 聜, 䆪, 谾, 躻, 鞚, 㲁, 鵼, 㾤, 箜, 曌, 瞾

Further reading

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 863, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 25415
• Dae Jaweon: page 1289, character 8
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2719, character 8
• Unihan data for U+7A7A

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Chinese

trad.		空
simp. #		空
alternative forms		𠀝 𫞹 𢦉

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 空
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (工) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
缸	*kroːŋ, *ɡroːŋ
篢	*kluːmʔ, *koːŋ
贑	*kluːmʔ
涳	*ŋr'oːŋ, *kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
江	*kroːŋ
肛	*kroːŋ, *qʰroːŋ
扛	*kroːŋ
杠	*kroːŋ
豇	*kroːŋ
茳	*kroːŋ
釭	*kroːŋ, *koːŋ, *kuːŋ
矼	*kroːŋ
玒	*kroːŋ, *koːŋ
虹	*kroːŋs, *koːŋs, *ɡoːŋ
腔	*kʰroːŋ
崆	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
羫	*kʰroːŋ
控	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
椌	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
悾	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
跫	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoŋ, *ɡoŋ
啌	*qʰroːŋ
谾	*qʰroːŋ, *qʰoːŋ
舡	*qʰroːŋ
缻	*ɡroːŋ
項	*ɡroːŋʔ
屸	*ɡ·roːŋ
功	*koːŋ
工	*koːŋ
疘	*koːŋ
魟	*koːŋ, *qʰoːŋ, *ɡoːŋ
攻	*koːŋ, *kuːŋ
愩	*koːŋ
碽	*koːŋ
貢	*koːŋs
羾	*koːŋs
空	*kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
箜	*kʰoːŋ
硿	*kʰoːŋ
埪	*kʰoːŋ
鵼	*kʰoːŋ
倥	*kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋʔ, *kʰoːŋs
鞚	*kʰoːŋs
叿	*qʰoːŋ
嗊	*qʰoːŋʔ
訌	*ɡoːŋ
紅	*ɡoːŋ
仜	*ɡoːŋ
葒	*ɡoːŋ
渱	*ɡoːŋ
鴻	*ɡoːŋ, *ɡoːŋʔ
汞	*ɡoːŋʔ
澒	*ɡoːŋʔ
鞏	*koŋʔ
巩	*koŋʔ
銎	*kʰoŋ, *qʰoŋ
恐	*kʰoŋʔ, *kʰoŋs
蛩	*ɡoŋ
筇	*ɡoŋ
桏	*ɡoŋ
邛	*ɡoŋ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋs) : semantic 穴 (“cave, hole”) + phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ).

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(g/k)uŋ (“hole; orifice; inner part”). 孔 (OC *kʰloːŋʔ, “hole”) is probably the endoactive derivation of 空 (OC *kʰoːŋ, “hollow; empty”) (Schuessler, 2007). Cognate with Tibetan ཁུང (khung, “hole”), Jingpho ladi hku (“nostril”), Chepang घाङ् (gʰaŋ, “hole”), Burmese အခေါင် (a.hkaung, “hollow place; cavity”), Naxi ko³³ (“cave; hole; pit”) (STEDT).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): kōng (kong¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄨㄥ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): кон (kon, I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hung¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): khûng
• Northern Min (KCR): kó̤ng
• Eastern Min (BUC): kĕ̤ng / kŭng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): khang / khong

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kang¹ / kong¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹khon

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kōng
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄨㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kong
    • Wade–Giles: kʻung¹
    • Yale: kūng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kong
    • Palladius: кун (kun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰʊŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: кон (kon, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɑŋ²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: hung¹
    • Yale: hūng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hung¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: hung¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hʊŋ⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khûng
    • Hakka Romanization System: kung´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: kung¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰuŋ²⁴/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: kó̤ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɔŋ⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: kĕ̤ng / kŭng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰøyŋ⁵⁵/, /kʰuŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

• kĕ̤ng - vernacular;
• kŭng - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khang / khong
    • Tâi-lô: khang / khong
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qafng, qofng
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kʰaŋ⁴⁴/, /kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰaŋ³³/, /kʰɔŋ³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kʰaŋ⁴⁴/, /kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kʰaŋ⁴⁴/, /kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰaŋ⁴⁴/, /kʰɔŋ⁴⁴/

Note:

• khang - vernacular;
• khong - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: kang¹ / kong¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khang / khong
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰaŋ³³/, /kʰoŋ³³/

Note:

• kang1 - vernacular;
• kong1 - literary.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹khon
    • MiniDict: khon^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹khon
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kʰoŋ⁵³/

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• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 空
Mandarin	Beijing	/kʰuŋ⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/kʰuŋ⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/kʰuŋ²¹/
	Jinan	/kʰuŋ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/kʰəŋ²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/kʰuŋ²⁴/
	Xi'an	/kʰuŋ²¹/
	Xining	/kʰuə̃⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/kʰuŋ⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/kʰũn³¹/
	Ürümqi	/kʰuŋ⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/kʰoŋ⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/kʰoŋ⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/kʰoŋ⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/kʰoŋ⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/kʰoŋ³¹/
	Hefei	/kʰəŋ²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/kʰuəŋ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/kʰuŋ¹³/
	Hohhot	/kʰũŋ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/kʰoŋ⁵³/
	Suzhou	/kʰoŋ⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/kʰoŋ³³/
	Wenzhou	/kʰoŋ³³/
Hui	Shexian	/kʰuʌ̃³¹/
	Tunxi	/kʰan¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/kʰoŋ³³/
	Xiangtan	/kʰən³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/kʰuŋ⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/kʰuŋ⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan	/kʰuŋ²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/hoŋ⁵³/
	Nanning	/huŋ⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/huŋ⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/kʰɔŋ⁵⁵/ /kʰaŋ⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/kʰøyŋ⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/kʰɔŋ⁵⁴/ /kɔŋ³³/ ～闲
	Shantou (Teochew)	/kʰoŋ³³/ /kʰaŋ³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/xoŋ²³/ /xaŋ²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: khuwng

Rime
Character	空
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)
Final (韻)	東 (1)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	苦紅切
Baxter	khuwng
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰuŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰuŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰuŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰəwŋ/
Li Rong	/kʰuŋ/
Wang Li	/kʰuŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/kʰuŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	kōng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hung1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*kʰˤoŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʰoːŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	空
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	kōng
Middle Chinese	‹ khuwng ›
Old Chinese	/*kʰˁoŋ/
English	hollow, empty; hole
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	空
Reading #	1/2
No.	4034
Phonetic component	工
Rime group	東
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	空
Old Chinese	/*kʰoːŋ/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 空

1. empty; hollow; void

   這箱子是空的。／这箱子是空的。  ―  Zhè xiāngzi shì kōng de.  ―  This box is empty.

   在盒子裡有些空瓶。 [MSC, trad.]
   在盒子里有些空瓶。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zài hézi lǐ yǒu xiē kōng píng. [Pinyin]

   There are some empty bottles in the box.

2. exhausted; emptied
3. open; spacious; vast
4. quiet and still; secluded
5. lacking substance; fictitious; fabricated

   空話／空话  ―  kōnghuà  ―  empty talk

6. (Eastern Min) hungry
7. air; sky; atmosphere

   空氣／空气  ―  kōngqì  ―  air; atmosphere

   天空  ―  tiānkōng  ―  the sky

   航空  ―  hángkōng  ―  aviation

   空調／空调  ―  kōngtiáo  ―  air conditioning

8. space; outer space; cosmos; universe

   太空  ―  tàikōng  ―  outer space

   空間／空间  ―  kōngjiān  ―  space

9. (Buddhism) sunyata; emptiness; void of the world of the senses
10. (Taoism) emptiness and quiet
11. in vain; for nothing
12. only (left, remain, etc.)
13. to exhaust
14. to miss the target
15. (Southern Min) hole; cavity

Synonyms

• (hungry):

Dialectal synonyms of 餓 (“hungry”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		飢, 餓
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		餓, 飢餓
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	餓
	Taiwan	餓
	Chengde	餓
	Chifeng	餓
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	餓
	Heihe	餓
	Qiqihar	餓
	Harbin	餓
	Jiamusi	餓
	Baicheng	餓
	Changchun	餓
	Tonghua	餓
	Shenyang	餓
	Jinzhou	餓
	Singapore	餓
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	餓
	Tangshan	餓
	Cangzhou	餓
	Baoding	餓
	Shijiazhuang	餓
	Lijin	飢困
	Jinan	餓
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	餓
	Dandong	餓
	Yantai	餓, 飢困
	Qingdao	餓, 飢困
Central Plains Mandarin	Lingbao	飢
	Jining	餓
	Linfen	飢
	Shangqiu	餓, 飢
	Yuanyang	餓
	Zhengzhou	飢
	Xinyang	餓
	Baihe	餓
	Xi'an	飢, 餓
	Baoji	飢
	Tianshui	餓
	Xining	餓
	Xuzhou	餓
	Fuyang	餓
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	餓
	Lanzhou	餓
	Dunhuang	餓
	Hami	餓
	Ürümqi	餓
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	餓
	Nanchong	餓
	Dazhou	餓
	Hanyuan	餓
	Xichang	餓
	Zigong	餓
	Chongqing	餓
	Wuhan	餓
	Yichang	餓
	Xiangyang	餓
	Tianmen	餓
	Guiyang	餓
	Zunyi	餓
	Bijie	餓
	Liping	餓
	Zhaotong	餓
	Dali	餓
	Kunming	餓
	Mengzi	餓
	Guilin	餓
	Liuzhou	餓
	Jishou	餓
	Changde	餓
	Hanzhong	餓
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	餓
	Yangzhou	餓
	Lianyungang	餓
	Lianshui	餓
	Nantong	餓
	Anqing	餓
	Hefei	餓
	Hong'an	餓
Cantonese	Guangzhou	肚餓, 餓
	Hong Kong	肚餓, 餓
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	肚餓
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	肚餓
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	肚胈餓
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	肚胈餓
	Macau	餓
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	肚餓
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	肚餓
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	肚餓
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	肚餓
	Foshan	肚餓
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	肚餓
	Foshan (Shunde)	餓
	Foshan (Sanshui)	肚餓
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	肚餓
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	餓
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	餓
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	肚餓
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	肚餓
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	肚飢
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	肚餓
	Taishan	肚飢
	Kaiping (Chikan)	肚餓
	Enping (Niujiang)	肚餓
	Heshan (Yayao)	肚餓
	Dongguan	屎肚餓
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	肚餓
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	餓
	Shaoguan	肚餓
	Yunfu	肚餓
	Yangjiang	餓
	Xinyi	肚餓
	Lianjiang	肚餓
	Nanning	肚餓
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	飢
	Hepu (Shatian)	飢, 餓
	Beihai	餓
	Beihai (Nankang)	餓
	Beihai (Yingpan)	飢
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	肚餓
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	肚餓
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	肚餓
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	餓
	Singapore (Guangfu)	餓, 肚餓
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	餓
	Móng Cái	肚餓
Gan	Nanchang	餓
Hakka	Meixian	肚飢, 餓
	Xingning	餓
	Dabu (Xihe)	豺
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	肚胈餓
	Huidong (Daling)	餓
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	肚胈餓
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	肚胈餓
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	餓
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	肚𤸁
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	肚飢, 肚胈餓
	Wuhua (Changbu)	肚胈飢
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	肚𤸁
	Wuhua (Meilin)	𤸁
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	肚飢
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	肚胈餓
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	餓
	Jiexi	肚屎𤸁
	Changting	腹飢, 餓
	Longyan (Yongding)	肚飢
	Longyan (Xiayang, Yongding)	豺
	Longyan (Hukeng, Yongding)	肚飢
	Wuping	肚飢
	Wuping (Pingyu)	肚飢
	Liancheng	腹飢
	Liancheng (Peitian)	腹底飢, 腹飢, 餓
	Liancheng (Juxi)	腹裡飢, 腹飢, 飢
	Liancheng (Zhongbao)	腹飢
	Liancheng (Laiyuan)	腹飢, 餓肚屎, 肚屎空
	Ninghua	腹飢
	Ruijin	肚飢, 肚籮捏飢
	Shicheng	肚飢
	Shangyou (Shexi)	肚飢
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	肚飢, 肚枵
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	肚飢
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	肚屎枵, 肚枵
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	肚飢, 肚屎枵, 肚枵
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	肚屎枵, 肚枵
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	屎肚枵
	Hong Kong	餓
	Sabah (Longchuan)	肚胈餓
	Kuala Lumpur (Dabu)	肚餓
	Senai (Huiyang)	餓
	Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)	肚屎枵, 肚屎飢, 𤸁
	Singkawang	肚屎飢
	Bangkok (Meixian)	肚飢
	Bangkok (Fengshun)	肚𤸁
Huizhou	Shexian	餓
Jin	Taiyuan	餓
	Yangyuan	餓, 飢
	Datong	飢
	Xinzhou	餓
	Lüliang (Lishi)	餓
	Changzhi	飢
	Linhe	餓
	Jining	餓
	Hohhot	餓
	Erenhot	餓, 飢
	Pingshan	餓
	Zhangjiakou	餓
	Handan	餓, 飢
	Linzhou	飢
	Suide	餓
Northern Min	Jian'ou	腹飢, 餓
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	空, 枵 dated
Southern Min	Xiamen	枵
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	腹肚枵
	Quanzhou	枵
	Shishi	枵
	Zhangzhou	枵
	Zhao'an	枵, 腹肚枵
	Taipei (Wanhua)	枵
	Kaohsiung	枵
	Yilan	枵
	Changhua (Lukang)	枵
	Taichung	枵
	Taichung (Wuqi)	枵
	Tainan	枵
	Taitung	枵
	Hsinchu	枵
	Penghu (Magong)	枵
	Penang (Hokkien)	枵
	Singapore (Hokkien)	枵, 腹肚枵
	Manila (Hokkien)	枵, 腹肚枵
	Chaozhou	枵, 肚困, 肚枵
	Shantou	肚困, 枵
	Shantou (Chenghai)	肚困, 枵
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	肚困
	Jieyang	枵
	Haifeng	肚枵
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	枵
	Singapore (Teochew)	肚困, 枵
	Wenchang	肚困
	Haikou	困, 肚困
	Singapore (Hainanese)	困, 肚困
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	肚餓
	Sanxiang	餓, 肚餓
Wu	Shanghai	餓
	Suzhou	餓
	Ningbo	肚飢
	Wenzhou	餓
	Jinhua	肚飢
Xiang	Changsha	餓, 䐬
	Shuangfeng	肚䐬, 餓 intensified

• (hole):

Dialectal synonyms of 孔 (“hole”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		孔, 洞, 穴
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		孔, 洞, 孔洞, 空洞, 空穴
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	窟窿
	Singapore	洞
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	窟窿
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	窟窿
	Wanrong	窟窿
	Xi'an	窟窿子, 窟窿
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	窟窿, 洞洞, 洞
	Wuhan	窟窿, 窟眼, 洞洞, 洞
	Liuzhou	窿
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	窟窿
	Yangzhou	洞, 窟窿
	Hefei	窟窿, 洞
Cantonese	Guangzhou	窿, 咕窿
	Hong Kong	窿, 咕窿
	Taishan	孔
	Yangjiang	窿
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	窿
	Singapore (Guangfu)	窿
Gan	Nanchang	洞
Hakka	Meixian	窿仔, 窿空仔
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	空
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	空
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	空
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	空
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	空
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	空
Jin	Taiyuan	窟窿, 窟子
Northern Min	Jian'ou	川
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	空空
Southern Min	Xiamen	空, 空口
	Quanzhou	空
	Zhangzhou	空口
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	空
	Taipei	空
	Penang (Hokkien)	空
	Singapore (Hokkien)	空
	Manila (Hokkien)	空
	Chaozhou	空
	Jieyang	空, 洞
	Haifeng	空
	Singapore (Teochew)	空
	Singapore (Hainanese)	空
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	窿
Wu	Suzhou	洞
	Wenzhou	洞, 窟, 窟窿
	Jinhua	窟窿
Xiang	Changsha	洞, 洞子
	Shuangfeng	眼貢, 洞

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 空

1. to make empty; to impoverish
2. to leave empty; to leave blank
3. vacant; unoccupied; available

   有空房間嗎？／有空房间吗？  ―  Yǒu kòng fángjiān ma?  ―  Is there any vacant room?

   這個位子空著嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   这个位子空着吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè ge wèizǐ kòng zhe ma? [Pinyin]

   Is this seat available?

4. spare time; free time; leisure

   我今天有空。  ―  Wǒ jīntiān yǒu kòng.  ―  I'm free today.

   你下午有空嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   你下午有空吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ xiàwǔ yǒu kòng ma? [Pinyin]

   Are you free this afternoon?

   現在醫生沒空。 [MSC, trad.]
   现在医生没空。 [MSC, simp.]

   Xiànzài yīshēng méi kòng. [Pinyin]

   The doctor is not available now.

5. empty space; room

   再擠個人進來行嗎？車裡還有空嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   再挤个人进来行吗？车里还有空吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Zài jǐ ge rén jìnlái xíng ma? Chē lǐ hái yǒu kòng ma? [Pinyin]

   Can you fit in another person? Is there room in the car?

6. (of time) gap; interval; break

   • 惠公立，探續哀公卒時年而為元，空籍五歲矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     惠公立，探续哀公卒时年而为元，空籍五岁矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Huìgōnglì, tàn xù āi gōng zú shí nián ér wèi yuán, kòng jí wǔ suì yǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   Template:zh-syn

7. chance; opportunity
8. (Southern Min) zero

Synonyms

• (spare time):

(deprecated template usage)

• 時間／时间 (shíjiān)
• 暇隙 (xiáxì)
• 業餘／业余 (yèyú)
• 空兒／空儿 (kòngr)
• 空暇 (kòngxiá)
• 空閒／空闲 (kòngxián)
• 美國時間／美国时间 (Taiwanese Hokkien)
• 閒工／闲工 (Hokkien)
• 閒工夫／闲工夫 (xiángōngfu)
• 閒手腳／闲手脚 (Hakka)
• 閒暇／闲暇 (xiánxiá)
• 閒神／闲神 (Hakka)
• 閒空／闲空 (xiánkòng)
• 餘暇／余暇 (yúxiá)
• 餘閒／余闲 (yúxián)

 

• (empty): (Cantonese) 吉

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): kǒng (kong³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄨㄥˇ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kǒng
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄨㄥˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kǒng
    • Wade–Giles: kʻung³
    • Yale: kǔng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: koong
    • Palladius: кун (kun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰʊŋ²¹⁴/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 空

1. ^† (deprecated template usage) Alternative form of 孔 (kǒng, “hole; cave; mouth”).

   • 計四海之在天地之間也，不似礨空之在大澤乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     计四海之在天地之间也，不似礨空之在大泽乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Jì sìhǎi zhī zài tiāndì zhījiān yě, bù sì lěikǒng zhī zài dàzé hū? [Pinyin]

     I estimate all within the four seas, compared with the space between heaven and earth, to be not so large as that occupied by an ant nest / small cave in a large marsh!

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (空):

• → Japanese: 空(くう) (kū)
• → Korean: 공(空) (gong)
• → Vietnamese: không (空)

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji

空

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. sky
2. empty, hollow, bare, void, deserted

Readings

• Go-on: く (ku); くう (kū, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: こう (kō)
• Kun: あく (aku, 空く, Jōyō); あける (akeru, 空ける, Jōyō); うつける (utsukeru, 空ける); うつ (utsu, 空); うつお (utsuo, 空); うつぼ (utsubo, 空); うつろ (utsuro, 空ろ); うろ (uro, 空ろ); から (kara, 空, Jōyō); すく (suku, 空く); そら (sora, 空, Jōyō); むなしい (munashii, 空しい); あな (ana, 空)
• Nanori: たか (taka)

Compounds

Compounds

• 空(あ)き缶(かん) (akikan)
• 空(あ)き瓶(びん) (akibin)
• 空(あ)き巣(す)狙(ねら)い (akisunerai)
• 空(むな)しい (munashii)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
空
そら Grade: 1
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Found in the Kojiki c. 712 CE.

Alternative forms

• 虚

Noun

空(そら) • (sora) 

1. the sky

Synonyms

• (the sky): 天 (ten)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 空(そら)色(いろ) (sorairo)
• 空(そら)で (sorade)
• 青(あお)空(ぞら) (aozora)
• 冬(ふゆ)空(ぞら) (fuyuzora)
• 寒(さむ)空(ぞら) (samuzora)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
空
から Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Cognate with 殻(から) (kara, “shell”).

Noun

空(から) • (kara) 

1. empty

   空(から)箱(ばこ)

   karabako

   empty box

2. ineffectual

   空(から)振(ぶ)り

   karaburi

   in vain

3. false

   空(から)元(げん)気(き)

   karagenki

   bravado

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 空(から)揚(あ)げ (karāge)
• 空(カラ)オケ (karaoke), カラオケ (karaoke)
• 空(から)元(げん)気(き) (karagenki)
• 空(から)手(て) (karate)
• 空(から)箱(ばこ) (karabako)
• 空(から)っぽ (karappo)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
空
くう Grade: 1
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 空 (MC khuwng|khuwngH).

Noun

空(くう) • (kū) 

1. empty air
2. meaninglessness
3. (Buddhism) shunya (Śūnyatā): emptiness, vacuity, awareness, openness, thusness
4. (Buddhism) void: one of the 五大 (godai, literally “great five”); also known as 天 (sora), of particular importance as the highest of the five elements

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 空(くう)間(かん) (kūkan)
• 空(くう)気(き) (kūki)
• 空(くう)虚(きょ) (kūkyo)
• 空(くう)軍(ぐん) (kūgun)
• 空(くう)港(こう) (kūkō)
• 空(くう)席(せき) (kūseki)
• 空(くう)前(ぜん) (kūzen)
• 空(くう)想(そう) (kūsō)
• 空(くう)中(ちゅう) (kūchū)
• 空(くう)洞(どう) (kūdō)
• 空(くう)白(はく) (kūhaku)
• 空(くう)腹(ふく) (kūfuku)
• 空(くう)輸(ゆ) (kūyu)
• 空(くう)欄(らん) (kūran)
• 架(か)空(くう) (kakū)
• 虚(こ)空(くう) (kokū)
• 航(こう)空(くう) (kōkū)
• 真(しん)空(くう) (shinkū)
• 上(じょう)空(くう) (jōkū)
• 航(こう)空(くう)便(びん) (kōkūbin)

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Kanji in this term
空
うろ Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Noun

空(うろ) • (uro) 

1. cavity, hole

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
空
うつお Grade: 1
kun’yomi

/utuho/: /utupo/ → /utuɸo/ → /utuwo/ → /utuo/. See also 空 (utsubo).

Noun

空(うつお) • (utsuo) ^{←うつほ (utufo)?}

1. Alternative form of うろ

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
空
うつぼ Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Similar etymology to 空 (utsuo). As /h/ gradually changed from [p] → [ɸ] → [w] → [Ø], the phoneme was voiced to [b] in order to maintain it.

Noun

空(うつぼ) • (utsubo) 

1. Alternative form of うろ

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Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 空 (MC khuwng|khuwngH).

Hanja

Wikisource

空 (eumhun 빌 공 (bil gong))

1. Hanja form^? of 공 (“empty; void”).
2. Hanja form^? of 공 (“sky; air”).

Compounds

Compounds

• 공간 (空間, gonggan)
• 공군 (空軍, gonggun)
• 공기 (空器, gonggi)
• 공기 (空氣, gonggi)
• 공담 (空談, gongdam)
• 공동 (空洞, gongdong)
• 공론 (空論, gongnon)
• 공리 (空理, gongni)
• 공복 (空腹, gongbok)
• 공상 (空想, gongsang)
• 공석 (空席, gongseok)
• 공수 (空輸, gongsu)
• 공습 (空襲, gongseup)
• 공언 (空言, gong'eon)
• 공연 (空然, gong'yeon)
• 공일 (空日, gong'il)
• 공장 (空腸, gongjang)
• 공적 (空寂, gongjeok)
• 공중 (空中, gongjung)
• 공지 (空地, gongji)
• 공책 (空冊, gongchaek)
• 공포 (空砲, gongpo)
• 공폭 (空爆, gongpok)
• 공핍 (空乏, gongpip)
• 공항 (空港, gonghang)
• 공허 (空虛, gongheo)
• 공활 (空豁, gonghwal)
• 가공 (架空, gagong)
• 고공 (高空, gogong)
• 누공 (壘空, nugong)
• 누공 (屢空, nugong)
• 등공 (騰空, deunggong)
• 반공 (半空, ban'gong)
• 방공 (防空, banggong)
• 벽공 (碧空, byeokgong)
• 영공/령공 (領空, yeonggong/ryeonggong)
• 용공 (聳空, yonggong)
• 익공 (匿空, ikgong)
• 일공 (一空, ilgong)
• 저공 (低空, jeogong)
• 진공 (眞空, jin'gong)
• 착공 (鑿空, chakgong)
• 창공 (蒼空, changgong)
• 천공 (天空, cheon'gong)
• 청공 (晴空, cheonggong)
• 청공 (靑空, cheonggong)
• 폐공 (蔽空, pyegong)
• 항공 (航空, hanggong)
• 허공 (虛空, heogong)
• 방공호 (防空壕, banggongho)
• 항공기 (航空機, hanggonggi)
• 항공사 (航空社, hanggongsa)
• 손오공 (孫悟空, Sonogong)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [1]

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Okinawan

Kanji

空

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Kun: すら (sura, 空)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /suɾa/

Noun

空 (hiragana すら, romaji sura)

1. (literary) the sky; the heavens

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Vietnamese

Han character

空: Hán Việt readings: không (枯(khô)公(công)切(thiết))
空: Nôm readings: không, khung, khỏng, khong, cung, khống

1. chữ Hán form of không (“empty; void”).
2. chữ Hán form of không (“air; sky”).
3. Nôm form of không (“zero; none”).

Compounds

Compounds

• 空間 (không gian)
• 空虚 (không hư)
• 空氣 (không khí)
• 空軍 (không quân)
• 空襲 (không tập)
• 空手 (không thủ)
• 空中 (không trung)
• 空想 (không tưởng)
• 真空 (chân không)
• 航空 (hàng không)
• 虛空 (hư không)
• 防空 (phòng không)
• 數空 (số không)
• 太空 (thái không)
• 孫悟空 (Tôn Ngộ Không)