Definition
空洞 has two distinct senses: a concrete noun meaning a cavity in the body (especially teeth or lungs), and an adjective meaning hollow or vacuous in speech, writing, or ideas. For the noun sense, 腔 (qiāng) is a broader term for any cavity or chamber, while 蛀牙 (zhù yá) specifically means tooth decay. For the adjective sense, 空虚 (kōng xū) describes emotional or spiritual emptiness, whereas 空洞 focuses on lack of substance in content.
noun
cavity (in the body, especially in teeth or lungs)
adjective
hollowvacuouslacking substance (of speech, writing, ideas)
Examples
- 空洞。Yīshēng fāxiàn wǒ de yáchǐ yǒu yí gè kōng dòng.The doctor found a cavity in my tooth.
- 空洞，。Tā de yǎnjiǎng nèiróng hěn kōng dòng, méiyǒu xīnyì.The content of his speech is very hollow and lacks originality.
- ，。Nǐ de lǐlùn tài kōng dòng le, méiyǒu gēnjù.Your theory is too empty; it has no basis.
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