Chinese word

空荡荡

Pronunciation

Pinyinkōng dàng dàng

Meaning

  • adjectiveempty

Example

抽屉里空荡荡，找不到铅笔。chōu tì lǐ kōng dàng dàng zhǎo bú dào qiān bǐ

The drawer is empty, and no pencil can be found.

Illustration for 空荡荡 (empty)

More examples

午夜里，剧院外的街道空荡荡。wǔ yè lǐ jù yuàn wài de jiē dào kōng dàng dàng

At midnight, the street outside the theater is deserted.

Core concept

A space stretches wide with its usual contents or occupants missing, leaving a bare, lonely impression.

Common phrases

  • 屋子里空荡荡wū zi lǐ kōng dàng dàng

    a room standing empty

  • 空荡荡的大厅kōng dàng dàng de dà tīng

    an empty lobby

  • 人走后空荡荡rén zǒu hòu kōng dàng dàng

    empty after people leave

Similar words

空旷kōng kuàng: Describes an area that is spacious and open because few people or things are present.
冷清lěng qīng: Describes an unusually quiet place with little activity because few people are there.
荒凉huāng liáng: Describes a deserted landscape that feels bleak because it is neglected and lacks human presence.
空虚kōng xū: Describes an empty inner state or situation with little meaning or satisfaction.

Definition in Chinese

形容某处或容器内没有任何东西或人，显得空旷或寂寞。xíng róng mǒu chù huò róng qì nèi méi yǒu rèn hé dōng xī huò rén xiǎn de kōng kuàng huò jì mò

Word origin

空荡荡 (kōngdàngdàng, "bare and vacant") combines 空 (kōng, "empty") with repeated 荡 (dàng, "spread out"), turning absence into a strongly visual sense of open vacancy.

Usage tips

  • The repeated syllables make the description vivid and conversational, so this form suits a scene that feels noticeably bare rather than a neutral inventory statement.

Other meanings

  • desertedadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word