Definitions

kōng (adjective) empty; vacant
kōng (noun) sky; air
kōng (adverb) in vain
kòng (verb) to empty
kòng (noun) free time; leisure

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

As a phono-semantic compound, 空 combines the radical 穴 (xué), meaning cave or hole, at the top to indicate its semantic category of a hollow space, with the component 工 (gōng, work) at the bottom to provide its phonetic value. Its core meaning is thus an empty physical space or cavity. This concept extended upward to denote the sky or atmosphere and also developed abstract senses of nothingness, vanity, or lack of substance.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

房间里是的。

Fángjiān lǐ shì kōng de.

The room is empty.

中有许多云。

Tiānkōng zhōng yǒu xǔduō yún.

There are many clouds in the sky.

这里的气很新鲜。

Zhèlǐ de kōngqì hěn xīnxiān.

The air here is very fresh.

请把下周五出来。

Qǐng bǎ xià zhōu wǔ kōng chūlái.

Please keep next Friday free.

闲时喜欢看书。

Wǒ kòngxián shí xǐhuan kànshū.

I like to read books in my free time.

整个礼堂荡荡的。

Zhěnggè lǐtáng kōngdàngdàng de.

The entire auditorium is completely empty.

这批货物将通过运送达。

Zhè pī huòwù jiāng tōngguò kōngyùn sòngdá.

This batch of goods will be delivered by air freight.

不要凭猜测事情的真相。

Bùyào píngkōng cāicè shìqíng de zhēnxiàng.

Don't speculate about the truth of the matter without any basis.