虚

虛

xū

业 + 虍

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

xū (adjective) empty; void; unoccupied

xū (adjective) false; untrue

xū (adjective) weak; feeble

xū (adjective) modest; humble

xū (adjective) abstract; theoretical

Etymology

Simplified form of 虛. Phonosemantic compound. 虍 represents the sound and 丘 represents the meaning.

About

虚, the simplified form of 虛, conveys emptiness, hollowness, and falseness. It is a phonosemantic compound: 虍 (tiger) indicates the sound, while 丘 (hill, mound) provides the meaning. In the simplified character, the lower part is altered to resemble 业. The original meaning was the ruins of a large settlement or a great hill abandoned to desolation. This physical desolation gave rise to abstract senses of emptiness and insubstantiality, later extending to untruthfulness and things existing only in imagination.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他非常谦虚。

Tā fēicháng qiānxū.

He is very modest.

她身体虚弱。

Tā shēntǐ xūruò.

She is physically weak.

不要虚度光阴。

Bùyào xūdù guāngyīn.

Don't waste time.

他不追求虚名。

Tā bù zhuīqiú xūmíng.

He does not pursue false fame.

他感到内心空虚。

Tā gǎndào nèixīn kōngxū.

He feels empty inside.

这是一个虚拟世界。

Zhè shì yī gè xūnǐ shìjiè.

This is a virtual world.

这个故事是虚构的。

Zhège gùshì shì xūgòu de.

This story is fictional.

她因为生病而显得虚弱。

Tā yīnwèi shēngbìng ér xiǎnde xūruò.

She appears weak because she is sick.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 业

Component: 虍

虚