About
The character "空" structurally combines the radical "穴", indicating a cave or hollow, with the component "工", which originally served a phonetic function, creating a form that conceptually pointed to an empty or excavated space. Its early meanings centered on tangible emptiness, such as a cavity or vault, but through application in classical texts and especially through the assimilation of Buddhist thought, its semantics expanded to encompass abstract voids, the boundless sky, and the philosophical concept of immateriality. This etymological journey from physical hollow to metaphysical absence has preserved the character's graphical integrity while allowing it to acquire additional layers of meaning, including references to the atmosphere or to actions performed without result.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
房间里是空的。
天空中有许多云。
这里的空气很新鲜。
请把下周五空出来。
我空闲时喜欢看书。
整个礼堂空荡荡的。
这批货物将通过空运送达。
不要凭空猜测事情的真相。