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絵空事 (えそらごと) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

絵え空そら事ごと

え

そ

ら

ご

と

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

fabrication; pipe dream; fantasy

Refers to something completely made up, an unrealistic idea, or a groundless story. Often used critically to dismiss impractical plans or lies.

彼かれの話はなしは所しょ詮せん絵え空そら事ごとに過すぎない。
His story is nothing more than a fabrication after all.

そんな

計けい

画かく

は

絵え

空そら

事ごと

だ

。

That plan is just a pipe dream.

Kanji

絵picture, drawing, painting
空empty, sky, void
事matter, thing, fact

Similar words

虚きょ言げん
虚言 is a more formal or literary term for a lie or falsehood, while 絵空事 emphasizes the fanciful, unrealistic nature of the fabrication.
夢ゆめ物もの語がたり
夢物語 is a dreamlike tale or fantasy, often with a more romantic or wistful nuance, whereas 絵空事 is more critical and dismissive.

Etymology

Compound of 絵 (e, 'picture') + 空 (sora, 'empty, sky') + 事 (koto, 'thing, matter'), literally 'picture-sky-thing'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word evokes something as insubstantial as a painted sky.