家いえを空あける

also: うちをあける

い

え

を

あ

け

る

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

be away from home; be out of the house

Describes the state of not being at home, often for a period of time. Can be used for short absences or longer trips.

週しゅう末まつは家いえを空あけることが多おおい。
I'm often away from home on weekends.
長ちょう期き間かん家いえを空あけるときは、新しん聞ぶんを止とめ

て

ください

。

When you're away from home for a long time, please stop the newspaper delivery.

Written forms

家を空ける
- いえをあける
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading いえ is more common in modern Japanese for this expression.
- うちをあける
  Alternate reading using うち for 家. Slightly more traditional or formal feel; いえ is more common in daily speech.
家をあける
- いえをあける
  Kana spelling of the verb part; less common but still used.
- うちをあける
うちをあける

Kanji

家house, home, family
空empty, sky, void

Similar words

留る守す
留守 is a noun meaning 'absence from home' or 'being away', while 家を空ける is a verb phrase focusing on the action of leaving the house empty.

Etymology

Compound of 家 (house) + を (object marker) + 空ける (to empty, to vacate). Literally 'to empty the house', used idiomatically to mean being away from home.