空
empty · sky · void · vacant · vacuum
Details
Description
Sky/Emptiness - vast openness, Zen concept of void, freedom.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of '穴' (hole) and '工' (empty). Empty space like a hole.
Symbolism
Sky, void, Buddhist concept of 'emptiness'. Represents infinite possibility.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents Buddhist concept of form is emptiness - ultimate truth that all things lack inherent existence.
Seasonal
The sky changes expression with seasons. Autumn sky's high clear blue, rainy season sky's heaviness—the sky symbolizes seasons.
Component Breakdown
Hole + work
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
空前絶後
くうぜんぜつご
(so marvelous or horrible that it may be) the first and probably the last
空中楼閣
くうちゅうろうかく
castle in the air
色即是空
しきそくぜくう
form is emptiness; matter is void; all is vanity
天空海濶
てんくうかいかつ
the open sky and the serene sea; as open as the sky and serene as the sea; magnanimous
徒手空拳
としゅくうけん
being empty-handed; being penniless; having no capital (for starting a business)
空即是色
くうそくぜしき
emptiness is form; illusion of the reality of matter
空々漠々
くうくうばくばく
vast; boundless; wide and empty
空理空論
くうりくうろん
impractical theory; academic discussion; doctrinairism
空々寂々
くうくうじゃくじゃく
deserted and lonesome; quiet and alone; innocent and nonattached
史上空前
しじょうくうぜん
unprecedented in history; unheard-of; epoch-making
赤手空拳
せきしゅくうけん
barehanded; having no wealth or position to rely on (aside from one's own resourcefulness) (when embarking on something)
一切皆空
いっさいかいくう
matter is void; all is vanity
天馬行空
てんばこうくう
unconstrained creativity; bold and imaginative; (like a) a heavenly steed soaring across the skies
Proverbs & Idioms
空谷の跫音
くうこくのきょうおん
Footsteps in an empty valley
A rare and welcome visitor or event
Poetry
雲雀より空にやすらふ峠哉
Higher than the lark, resting in the sky — this mountain pass.
凧きのふの空のありどころ
A kite in the sky — exactly where yesterday's sky was.
Anime & Manga
天空の城ラピュタ
Castle in the Sky
Adventure fantasy seeking a castle floating in the sky
ノーゲーム・ノーライフ
No Game No Life
Sibling protagonists 'Sora' and 'Shiro' dominate games
ソードアート・オンライン
Sword Art Online
Adventure in ALO world where you can fly in the sky
天空侵犯
High-Rise Invasion
A well-known work with 空 in its Japanese title.
ハイキュー!! 陸 VS 空
HAIKYU!! LAND VS. AIR
A well-known work with 空 in its Japanese title.
Games
ゼルダの伝説 スカイウォードソード
Zelda: Skyward Sword HD(2021)
Adventure begins from Skyloft floating in the sky
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
空海
(くうかい)Founder of Shingon Buddhism whose name contains 'sky'
Known as Kobo Daishi. Founded Koyasan, also renowned for calligraphy
空也
Name contains 空
Kūya was an itinerant Japanese hijiri , later ordained in the Tendai sect, who was an early proselytizer of the practice of the nembutsu amongst the…
Wikipedia円空
Name contains 空
Enkū was a Japanese Buddhist monk, poet and sculptor during the early Edo period.
Wikipedia釈浄空
Name contains 空
Chin Kung AM was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar from the Mahayana tradition.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 空 mean in Japanese?
空 means empty, sky, void, vacant, vacuum. Sky/Emptiness - vast openness, Zen concept of void, freedom.
How do you read 空?
On'yomi: クウ (KUU). Kun'yomi: そら、あ.く、あ.き、あ.ける、から、す.く、す.かす、むな.しい (sora, aku, aki, akeru, kara, suku, sukasu, munashii).
How many strokes does 空 have?
空 has 8 strokes. Its radical is 穴 (cave).
Is 空 a good kanji for a tattoo?
空 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means empty, sky, void, vacant, vacuum. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.