空旷 (kōng kuàng) — open and spacious (of a place, often implying e…

Definition

Describes a place that is open, wide, and notably empty of people or objects — stronger emptiness than just 宽敞, which focuses on size alone.

adjective

open and spacious (of a place, often implying emptiness)

空旷，。
Zhè ge guǎng chǎng hěn kōng kuàng, yí gè rén dōu méi yǒu.
This square is very open and empty — not a single person.
，空旷。
Zhàn zài shān shàng, qián miàn shì yí piàn kōng kuàng de kòng dì.
Standing on the mountain, there is an expanse of open empty land ahead.
空旷，。
Jiào shì lǐ hěn kōng kuàng, zhǐ yǒu jǐ zhāng zhuō zi.
The classroom is very empty, with only a few desks.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

空 means empty and 旷 means open or spacious; together they describe a place as wide and empty.

Characters in this word

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

穴工空

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuécave, hole

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

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.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 曠; 旷 is its simplified writing.

日廣曠

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

廣

廣guǎng曠kuàng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 曠 pairs 日 (sun) with 廣 as a sound part; the simplified 旷 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical 廣.

Appears in