Chinese word

空虚

Pronunciation

Pinyinkōng xū

Meaning

  • adjectiveempty

Example

失恋后，他感到很空虚。shī liàn hòu tā gǎn dào hěn kōng xū

After the breakup, he feels very empty.

Illustration for 空虚 (empty)

More examples

他取得了很多成就，但内心仍然感到空虚。tā qǔ dé le hěn duō chéng jiù dàn nèi xīn réng rán gǎn dào kōng xū

He has achieved a lot, but still feels empty inside.

Core concept

A hollow inner state in which energy and meaning no longer seem to fill life.

Common phrases

  • 感到很空虚gǎn dào hěn kōng xū

    feel very empty

  • 显得空虚xiǎn de kōng xū

    appear empty

  • 内心空虚nèi xīn kōng xū

    inner emptiness

Similar words

空洞kōng dòng: Empty inside because there is no real substance or content.
寂寞jì mò: Feeling lonely because few people or social contacts are present.
孤独gū dú: Feeling alone when emotional ties with nearby people are missing.

Definition in Chinese

感觉缺乏目标或意义，内心像被掏空，既无热情也无满足感。gǎn jué quē fá mù biāo huò yì yì nèi xīn xiàng bèi tāo kōng jì wú rè qíng yě wú mǎn zú gǎn

Word origin

The compound 空虚 (kōngxū, "empty and hollow") extends physical ideas of vacancy and insubstantiality to a person's inner experience.

Usage tips

  • Sadness centers on sorrow, whereas this word presents the person as emotionally unfilled, so both feelings can occur at the same time.

Other meanings

  • hollowadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 空虚感kōng xū gǎnsense of emptinessnoun

Word lists with this word