1.
empty sky; void; thin air; empty space
The vast, empty expanse of sky or space. Used both literally for the sky/atmosphere and figuratively for a vacant, undefined space — often the direction someone stares into when lost in thought.
Originally a Buddhist term (虚空) referring to the limitless, formless expanse that contains all things — similar to the concept of 'the void' or 'ether.' In modern usage, it most often describes the empty air or space that someone stares into when distracted, lost in thought, or in a state of shock.
Usage
Most commonly appears in the phrase 虚空を見つめる (to stare into space), describing someone gazing at nothing in particular. It has a literary, evocative quality.
Common collocations
- 虚空を見つめる — to stare into empty space
- 虚空に手を伸ばす — to reach into thin air
- 虚空に消える — to vanish into thin air