The Chinese word "上空" is a compound noun formed by combining the character "上" (shàng), meaning "above" or "up", with the character "空" (kōng), meaning "sky" or "air". Together, they create a literal meaning of "the space above" or "the air overhead". It is commonly used to refer to the airspace above a specific area, such as a city or country (e.g., "城市上空"), and can also evoke a more poetic sense of the sky or heavens directly above a location.