空空如也 — “Originally described a sincere and modest demeanor”
空空如也 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “originally described a sincere and modest demeanor”. Now commonly used to describe being utterly empty or having nothing at all. Literally, “Empty, as if nothing were there”.
空空如也 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 空kōng
- 空kōng
- 如rú
- 也yě
空空如也 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 空空如也
Origin and Story of 空空如也
During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius was widely admired for his profound knowledge. However, he often humbly denied being exceptionally learned.
He once remarked that when he visited the countryside, he saw farmers skillfully carrying out their daily tasks. On one occasion, a farmer asked him about the meaning of "空空如也" (kōng kōng rú yě).
Confucius, known for his deep contemplation, pondered the phrase, which originally described a sincere and modest state of mind. He then offered his profound interpretation, emphasizing the importance of an open, humble mind, ready to absorb new knowledge, much like an empty vessel.
This idiom thus came to represent not only being utterly empty (in its later usage) but also a spirit of humility and sincerity.
Idioms Related to 空空如也
Antonyms of 空空如也
More idioms starting with 空
- kōng空zhōng中lóu楼gé阁castles in the air
- kōng空zhōng中jié结gòu构castles in the air
- kōng空qián前wèi未yǒu有unprecedented; never before existed
- kōng空qián前jué绝hòu后unprecedented and never to be surpassed
- kōng空kǒu口wú无píng凭Words alone are no proof
- kōng空kǒu口shuō说bái白huà话all talk and no action
- kōng空kǒu口shuō说kōng空huà话make empty promises
- kōng空gǔ古jué绝jīn今unprecedented and unique throughout history
- kōng空chéng城jì计deceive enemy with a show of strength
- kōng空tóu头rén人qíng情empty show of affection
- kōng空tóu头zhī支piào票empty promise
- kōng空shì室qīng清yě野clear fields and empty rooms
Questions about 空空如也
- What does 空空如也 mean?
- 空空如也 (kōng kōng rú yě) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “originally described a sincere and modest demeanor”.
- How do you pronounce 空空如也?
- 空空如也 is pronounced kōng kōng rú yě in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 空空如也 literally mean?
- Literally, 空空如也 means “Empty, as if nothing were there”. It is used to mean “originally described a sincere and modest demeanor”.
- Where does 空空如也 come from?
- 空空如也 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 空空如也?
- 空空：诚恳，虚心。原形容诚恳、虚心的样子。现形容一无所有。