What is the Kanji for "Sky" and "Empty"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Sky" and "Empty", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Sky" and "Empty" is "空".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi readings are "Sora" and "Su".

Its onyomi reading is "Kuu".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "穴" means "Hole" and can be read as "Ketsu" and "Ana". And The kanji "工" means "Construction" and can be read as "Ku" and "Kou".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "空" mean in japanese?

"空" means "Sky" and "Empty".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in First Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

空手: "Karate". The Japanese noun '空手 (からて)' refers to a traditional Japanese martial art that involves striking, kicking and blocking techniques without the use of weapons. Karate originated in Okinawa and emphasizes discipline, control and self-improvement. It is a popular sport and practice worldwide. For example: I practice karate - (私は空手を練習する). Karate competition - (空手の試合)

空: "Sky". The Japanese noun '空 (そら)' refers to the sky, the vast expanse above the earth. It is used to describe the entire overhead atmosphere, including the clouds, air, and any celestial bodies visible. The word can be used to convey a sense of vastness, freedom, or even spirituality. For example: It's a beautiful day with a clear sky - (空が晴れて綺麗だ). The birds are flying high in the sky - (鳥が空高く飛んでいる).

航空便: "Air mail" or "Airmail". The Japanese noun '航空便 (こうくうびん)' refers to mail or parcels that are transported by air, rather than by ground or sea. This is a faster method of delivery compared to standard postal services. '航空便' is commonly used when sending important documents or time-sensitive materials across long distances. Examples: I sent the important documents by air mail - (重要な書類は航空便で送りました). We use air mail to receive packages quickly from overseas - (海外から荷物を早く受け取るために航空便を使います).

空間: "Space". The Japanese noun '空間 (くうかん)' means 'space'. It refers to an area or expanse in three-dimensional physical space. It can be used to describe empty or vacant areas, as well as the spatial relationships between objects. For example: There is a lot of empty space in this room - (この部屋には空間がたくさんある). The space between the buildings is narrow - (建物の間の空間は狭い).

空気: "Air". The noun '空気 (くうき)' refers to the invisible, odorless, and tasteless mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth and is necessary for breathing. It can be used to describe the atmosphere or the climate in a particular place. For example: The air is fresh today - (今日の空気は新鮮だ). We need to breathe clean air - (きれいな空気を吸う必要がある).

空中: "Air" or "Sky". The noun '空中 (くうちゅう)' has two main meanings: 'air' and 'sky'. It refers to the open space above the earth's surface, where the atmosphere is present. This word is commonly used to describe things that are in or relate to the sky or air, such as airplanes flying in the sky - (空中を飛んでいる飛行機). The sky is the space above the earth - (空中は地球の上にある).

空っぽ: "Empty". The adjectival noun '空っぽ (からっぽ)' means 'empty'. It is used to describe something that is completely devoid of contents or has nothing inside. This word can be applied to containers, spaces, or even abstract concepts. For example: The house was empty - (家は空っぽだった). The bottle is empty - (ビンは空っぽだ).

青空: "Blue sky". The Japanese noun '青空 (あおぞら)' refers to the 'blue sky'. It is used to describe the visible region of the atmosphere above the earth, that appears bright blue on clear days. This word is often used poetically to describe beautiful, cloudless skies. For example: The sky is so blue today - (今日の青空はとてもきれいだ). Let's go outside and enjoy the blue sky - (外に出て青空を楽しもう).

空き地: "Vacant lot". The Japanese noun '空き地 (あきち)' means 'vacant lot'. It refers to an unoccupied or empty piece of land within an urban area that is not being used for any particular purpose. Vacant lots are often covered in grass or weeds, and may be used for temporary parking or as informal play areas. For example: The vacant lot next to our house is used by the kids to play football - (うちの隣の空き地は子供たちがサッカーをするのに使われている). There is an empty vacant lot on the corner - (角にある空き地は何も使われていない).

航空: "Aviation". The Japanese noun '航空 (こうくう)' means 'aviation'. This word refers to the activities, equipment, and industry related to powered flight, such as civil and military aircraft and spacecraft. It includes aspects like aircraft design, manufacturing, operations, maintenance, and more. For example: The aviation industry is growing rapidly - (航空産業は急速に成長している). I work in the field of aviation - (私は航空業界で働いている).

空港: "Airport". The Japanese noun '空港 (くうこう)' means 'airport'. It refers to a facility where aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters take off, land, and are maintained. Airports typically have runways, terminals, and other infrastructure to support air travel. For example: I'm going to the airport to pick up my friend - (友達を空港で迎えに行きます).

空く: "Empty". The Japanese verb '空く (すく)' means 'to empty'. This verb is used to describe something becoming void of contents or becoming deprived of something. It can be used in a literal sense, such as a room or container becoming empty, or in a more figurative sense, such as a person's stomach becoming empty from hunger. For example: My glass is empty - (グラスが空いた). The shop's shelves became empty - (店の棚が空いた).

航空機: "Aircraft". The Japanese noun '航空機 (こうくうき)' refers to an aircraft or airplane. This word is commonly used to describe any powered vehicle capable of flight, such as airplanes, helicopters, and drones. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts. For example: The aircraft landed safely - (航空機がうまく着陸した). I saw an aircraft in the sky - (空に航空機が見えた).

航空券: "Airline ticket". The Japanese noun '航空券 (こうくうけん)' refers to a ticket for air travel. This term is commonly used when booking or purchasing tickets for flights. For example: I need to buy an airline ticket to Tokyo - (東京に行く航空券を買う必要があります). The airline ticket allows you to board the plane on your scheduled flight. It is an essential item when flying domestically or internationally.

空想: "Daydream". The Japanese verbal noun '空想 (くうそう)' means 'daydream'. It refers to the act of imagining or fantasizing about something that is not currently real or happening. People often engage in '空想' when they are bored, relaxed, or trying to come up with new ideas. For example: I often daydream during my commute - (通勤中によく空想をしています). She was lost in her own daydreams - (彼女は自分の空想に夢中になっていた).

夜空: "Night sky". The noun '夜空 (よぞら)' refers to the sky at night. It is used to describe the appearance of the sky during the evening or nighttime hours, often when the stars and moon are visible. This word can be used to evoke a sense of beauty, tranquility, or wonder. For example: The night sky was filled with twinkling stars - (夜空は輝く星々で満ちていた). On a clear night, the night sky is breathtaking - (晴れた夜には、夜空は息をのむほど美しい).

空しい: "Empty". The adjective '空しい (むなしい)' means 'empty'. It describes a feeling or situation that lacks meaning, purpose, or fulfillment. It can be used to express a sense of hollowness or lack of substance. For example: My life feels empty - (私の人生は空しい). The room was empty - (その部屋は空しかった).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "く" is read as "ku". The hiragana "う" is read as "u". The hiragana "そ" is read as "so". The hiragana "ら" is read as "ra". And The hiragana "す" is read as "su".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.