na-adjective, noun
Describes physical or abstract things that are thinly distributed, such as vegetation, hair, or attendance. Antonym: 密 (dense).
Antonyms: 密 (みつ)
この森は木が疎だ。
This forest has sparse trees.
会議の出席者は疎だった。
Attendance at the meeting was sparse.
na-adjective, noun
Used for relationships that have grown cold or distant, often between people who were once close. Antonym: 親 (intimate).
Antonyms: 親 (しん)
最近、彼とは関係が疎になってしまった。
Lately, my relationship with him has become distant.
兄弟なのに、とても疎な間柄だ。
Even though they are siblings, they have a very estranged relationship.
Antonym for sense 1: 密 means dense, close, or thick, while 疎 means sparse or thin.
Antonym for sense 2: 親 means intimate or close (of relationships), while 疎 means distant or estranged.
The kanji 疎 originally depicts a foot stepping over a barrier, suggesting separation or sparseness. The reading そ is the on'yomi. The word is used in both literal and figurative senses of thinness or distance.