空隙 (kòng xì) — crack; gap (between objects); gap in time; inte… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A concrete gap — either physical space between objects or a pause between events. Unlike 裂缝/裂痕 (cracks in a surface) and 间隙 (more abstract interval), 空隙 emphasizes a usable empty space.

noun

crackgap (between objects)gap in timeinterval

Examples

空隙。
Chuāng hu hé qiáng zhī jiān yǒu yí gè xiǎo kòng xì.
There is a small gap between the window and the wall.
空隙。
Tā lì yòng gōng zuò kòng xì qù le yí tàng yín háng.
He used a break in work to go to the bank.
空隙。
Shí tou zhī jiān de kòng xì lǐ zhǎng chū le xiǎo cǎo.
Small grass grew out of the gaps between the stones.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

空 “space” and 隙 “crack” combine to mean a gap.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⻖Written in full as阜fùmound

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡭴

𡭴𡭴隙

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

In 隙, the left ⻖ is the mound form 阜, while 𡭴 gives the sound; the whole shows a hole or gap in a wall.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Abstract Concepts

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