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空空如也. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
空空如也, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
空空如也 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
空空如也 you have here. The definition of the word
空空如也 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
空空如也, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
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empty
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empty
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postposition indicating appearance
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clause-final particle
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| trad. (空空如也)
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空
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空
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如
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也
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| simp. #(空空如也)
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空
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空
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如
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也
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Etymology
From the Analects, Book 9 (《論語·子罕》):
子曰：「吾有知乎哉？無知也。有鄙夫問於我，空空如也，我叩其兩端而竭焉。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰：「吾有知乎哉？无知也。有鄙夫问于我，空空如也，我叩其两端而竭焉。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐyuē: “Wú yǒu zhī hū zāi? Wúzhī yě. Yǒu bǐfū wèn yú wǒ, kōngkōng rú yě, wǒ kòu qí liǎngduān ér jié yān.”
- The Master said, "Am I indeed possessed of knowledge? I am not knowing. But if a mean person, who appears quite empty-like, ask anything of me, I set it forth from one end to the other, and exhaust it."
Originally, reduplication of 空 with particles was native to Classical Chinese grammar. In vernacular or modern Chinese, the chengyu with its air of classicality is often used for humorous effects.
Pronunciation
Idiom
空空如也
- empty; vacuous; having nothing
他講課的時候，教室經常空空如也。 [MSC, trad.]
他讲课的时候，教室经常空空如也。 [MSC, simp.]- Tā jiǎngkè de shíhòu, jiàoshì jīngcháng kōngkōngrúyě.
- When he teaches, the classroom is often empty.