Japanese word

空き間

Pronunciation

Romajiakima

Meaning

  • nounvacancy

Example

店の空き間を家具で埋めます。mise no a ki ma o ka gu de u me ma su

I fill the vacant space in the store with furniture.

Illustration for 空き間 (vacancy)

More examples

壁と棚の間の空き間に、小さな鉢を置きます。kabe to tana no aida no a ki ma ni chii sa na bachi o o ki ma su

I place a small pot in the empty space between the wall and the shelf.

Core concept

Describes an open area created when no person or object fills the space.

Common phrases

  • 空き間があるa ki ma ga a ru

    have vacant space

  • 空き間を埋めるa ki ma o u me ru

    fill the empty space

Similar words

空間kūkan: An unoccupied physical area that surrounds or contains things.
隙間sukima: A small opening or narrow space between objects or parts.
空所kūsho: A place or section that has nothing in it, especially in formal usage.

Definition in Japanese

物や人が存在せず、空いたままになっている部分や場所。mono ya hito ga son zai se zu a i ta ma ma ni na tte i ru bu bun ya ba sho

Word origin

空き (aki, "emptiness") comes from 空く (aku, "to become empty"), while 間 (ma, "space") refers to an interval or area, forming a word for unused space.

Usage tips

  • The English word vacancy commonly refers to something available, such as a room or job, but 空き間 (akima) denotes an empty physical area.

Other meanings

  • vacant spacenoun

Word lists with this word