HSK · Level 39
120 words
Chinese word
上空
Pronunciation
Pinyinshàng kōng
Meaning
- nounsky
Example
飞机在上空飞过。fēi jī zài shàng kōng fēi guò
The plane flew across the sky.
More examples
直升机在上空盘旋，准备降落。zhí shēng jī zài shàng kōng pán xuán zhǔn bèi jiàng luò
The helicopter is circling overhead, preparing to land.
Core concept
A stretch of open air at a raised position over the ground, where aircraft, clouds, or other airborne things are found.
Common phrases
从上空俯瞰cóng shàng kōng fǔ kàn
look down from the sky
在上空盘旋zài shàng kōng pán xuán
circle overhead
上空掠过shàng kōng lüè guò
skim overhead
Similar words
空中kōng zhōng: A position or space in the air, away from the ground.
高空gāo kōng: A very high part of the air above the ground.
天空tiān kōng: The wide expanse of sky visible above the earth.
Definition in Chinese
表示地面之上一定高度范围内的空中位置，常用于说明飞机、云层或其他在空中存在或经过的事物所在的方位或高度。biǎo shì dì miàn zhī shàng yí dìng gāo dù fàn wéi nèi de kōng zhōng wèi zhì cháng yòng yú shuō míng fēi jī yún céng huò qí tā zài kōng zhōng cún zài huò jīng guò de shì wù suǒ zài de fāng wèi huò gāo dù
Word origin
上空 (shàngkōng, "air above") combines 上 (shàng, "above") with 空 (kōng, "open space") to name the elevated open space over the ground.
Usage tips
- The reference point is usually a place or stretch of land, so the word is less natural when the intended meaning is only the immediate space above a person's head.