Japanese word

空想

Pronunciation

Romajikūsō

Meaning

  • nounfantasy

Example

これは子どもの空想です。ko re wa ko do mo no kū sō de su

This is a child's fantasy.

Illustration for 空想 (fantasy)

More examples

新しい物語の設定を考えると、空想がどんどん広がります。atara shi i monogatari no set tei o kanga e ru to kū sō ga do n do n hiro ga ri ma su

When I think about a new story setting, my imagination keeps expanding.

Core concept

Centers on forming thoughts of people, scenes, or events that are not present in reality, whether in idle daydreaming or creative fantasy.

Common phrases

  • 空想を抱くkū sō o ida ku

    harbor a fantasy

  • 空想を膨らませるkū sō o fuku ra ma se ru

    expand one's imagination

  • 空想にふけるkū sō ni fu ke ru

    indulge in fantasy

Similar words

想像sōzō: The mental creation of images or ideas about things, including things that could exist.
幻想gensō: A vivid idea or image that is unrealistic or based on a mistaken view of reality.
夢想musō: A dreamy stream of thoughts about an imagined situation, often without a practical purpose.
妄想mōsō: An unfounded idea that a person accepts as true, often despite evidence against it.

Definition in Japanese

現実には存在しない事柄や場面を心の中で思い描くこと。gen jitsu ni wa son zai shi na i koto gara ya ba men o kokoro no naka de omo i ega ku ko to

Word origin

空想 (kūsō) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 空 (kū, "empty") and 想 (sō, "thought"), referring to thought that is not tied to present reality.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 空想 (kūsō) can describe both a child's imagined world and creative fictional thinking, so it is not limited to idle daydreaming.

Other meanings

  • daydreamnoun
  • imaginationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 空想的kūsōtekifantasticalna-adjective
  • 空想家kūsōkadreamernoun

Word lists with this word