空话 (kōng huà) — empty talk; idle words | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Noun for empty talk or idle words — speech with no real content or follow-through. Used to dismiss or criticize what someone says, not to describe conversation neutrally.

noun

empty talkidle words

Examples

。
Bú yào zǒng shì shuō kōng huà.
Don't always speak empty words.
空话。
kōng huà Bù néng jiě jué wèn tí.
Empty talk cannot solve problems.
空话，。
Tā shuō le nà me duō kōng huà, yí jù dōu bú xìn.
He said so many empty words; I don't believe a single one.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

空 and 话 combine to mean talk that is empty or idle.

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

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.

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠯑

𠯑𠯑話huà

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Appears in

Communication & Speech

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