虚
void · emptiness · unpreparedness · crack · fissure · untruth
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of tiger and hill. Hill without tiger.
Symbolism
Void, false, empty. Represents lack of substance.
Component Breakdown
tiger + 业
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
虚々実々
きょきょじつじつ
full of wiles and tricks; match between persons equal in shrewdness mobilizing all the tricks each can muster; shrewdly avoiding the opponent's strong points and attacking its weaknesses
虚心坦懐
きょしんたんかい
with an open and calm mind; with no preconceived notions; without reserve
一虚一実
いっきょいちじつ
constantly changing phase and being highly unpredictable
虚実混交
きょじつこんこう
mishmash of truth and untruth; mixture of fiction and fact
虚実皮膜
きょじつひまく
the difference between truth and fiction in art being very subtle; art abides in a realm that is neither truth nor fiction
虚心平気
きょしんへいき
with an open and calm mind; without reserve; with utmost candor
虚無恬淡
きょむてんたん
rising above the trivia of life and remaining calm and selfless
一虚一盈
いっきょいちえい
constantly changing phase and being highly unpredictable
Proverbs & Idioms
虚勢を張る
きょせいをはる
To put on a brave front
To bluff or show false bravado
Anime & Manga
虚構推理
In/Spectre
A well-known work with 虚 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
高浜虚子
Name contains 虚
Kyoshi Takahama was a Japanese poet active during the Shōwa period of Japan.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“void”
“emptiness”
“fissure”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 虚 mean in Japanese?
虚 means void, emptiness, unpreparedness, crack, fissure, untruth.
How do you read 虚?
On'yomi: キョ、コ (KYO, KO). Kun'yomi: むな.しい、うつ.ろ (munashii, utsuro).
How many strokes does 虚 have?
虚 has 11 strokes. Its radical is 虍 (tiger).
Is 虚 a good kanji for a tattoo?
虚 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means void, emptiness, unpreparedness, crack, fissure, untruth. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.