空: the kanji for sky and empty
空 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means sky, empty. Below are its readings, 15 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
空 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
空 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
クウ (kuu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 空港くうこう · kūkō | airport |
| 空気くうき · kūki | air; atmosphere |
| 空間くうかん · kūkan | space |
| 航空こうくう · kōkū | aviation |
| 空席くうせき · kūseki | vacant seat |
| 空腹くうふく · kūfuku | hunger |
| 上空じょうくう · jōkū | the sky above |
そら (sora)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 空そら · sora | sky |
| 青空あおぞら · aozora | blue sky |
| 星空ほしぞら · hoshizora | starry sky |
あく (aku)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 空くあく · aku | to become vacant |
| 空きあき · aki | vacancy; opening |
あける (akeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 空けるあける · akeru | to empty; to make room |
から (kara)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 空っぽからっぽ · karappo | empty |
| 空手からて · karate | karate |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 空港までタクシーで行きます。Kūkō made takushī de ikimasu.I'll take a taxi to the airport.
- 来週の火曜日は空いていますか。Raishū no kayōbi wa aite imasu ka.Are you free next Tuesday?
- 午後三時なら予定を空けられます。Gogo sanji nara yotei o akeraremasu.I can keep 3 p.m. open.
- 会議の空気が少し重かったです。Kaigi no kūki ga sukoshi omokatta desu.The mood in the meeting was a little heavy.
- 今日は空がきれいです。Kyō wa sora ga kirei desu.The sky is beautiful today.
- 空き部屋はありますか。Akibeya wa arimasu ka.Do you have any rooms available?
Questions about 空
How many strokes does 空 have?
空 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 空?
The on readings are kuu (クウ). The kun readings are sora (そら), aku (あく), akeru (あける), kara (から).
What does 空気を読む mean?
空気を読む (kūki o yomu) literally means "to read the air." It means sensing what others think or feel without being told, a skill Japanese workplaces value highly.
What JLPT level is 空?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Food, animals and nature
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 空
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.