空 洞(くうどう)

くうどう

noun

hollow; cavity; void

1. hollow; cavity; void

A hollow space inside something, such as a cavity in a tree, underground, or in a structure.

There was a hollow in the tree trunk.

A large cavity was found underground.

There is a cavity under the road, and there's a risk of it caving in.

2. hollowness; emptiness; being hollow in substance

Used figuratively to describe something that has lost its substance or meaning, leaving only an empty shell.

The system has become hollow.

With talent leaving, the organization is becoming increasingly hollowed out.

We need to promote domestic investment to prevent the hollowing out of industry.

空洞(くうどう) combines 空(くう) (empty) and 洞(どう) (cave, cavity).

The derived form 空洞化(くうどうか) (hollowing out) is very common in news and economics, referring to the loss of substance in organizations, industries, or institutions — particularly when manufacturing moves overseas (産業(さんぎょう)の空洞化(くうどうか)).

general

Added 2026.3.12 11:34 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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