中空 (zhōng kōng) — hollow interior; hollow structure

Definition

A technical/structural term meaning 'hollow interior' — refers to a designed cavity inside a material like glass, steel, or bamboo, not just empty space. Often modifies 结构 or 设计.

noun
hollow interiorhollow structure
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 中空。
    Zhè zhǒng zhōng kōng bō li gé yīn xiào guǒ hěn hǎo.
    This kind of hollow glass has good sound insulation.
  • 中空，。
    Qiáo dūn cǎi yòng zhōng kōng shè jì, jiǎn qīng le zhòng liàng.
    The bridge pier uses a hollow design to reduce weight.
  • 中空。
    Zhú zi de zhōng kōng jié gòu shǐ tā jì qīng yòu jiē shi.
    The hollow structure of bamboo makes it both light and strong.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

中zhōnginside
空kōngempty

中 “inside” and 空 “empty” combine as inside empty, hence hollow.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave, hole
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng空kōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →

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