ChiramiN4 kanji · 8 strokes
空 means sky, empty
穴 a hole · 工 a worker
空Memory trick
A hole (穴) dug by a worker (工): empty. Look up through it: the sky.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- empty, sky, void, vacant
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 8
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) そら sora
そら (sora) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: あく aku, あき aki, あける akeru
From Chinese (onyomi) クウ kuu
クウ (kuu) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
空気 くうき · kuuki
air, atmosphere
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
穴 Used in 13 kanji
工 Used in 20 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 空 mean?
Right: 空 means sky, empty.Not quite: 空 means sky, empty.In 空気, which reading does 空 use?
Right. 空気 is read くうき (kuuki): 空 takes クウ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 空気 is read くうき (kuuki): 空 takes クウ, its reading from Chinese.