all things are empty; everything is void
A Buddhist yojijukugo expressing the concept that all phenomena lack inherent, fixed substance. Used in philosophical or religious contexts; not an everyday expression.
In Buddhist teachings, the idea that all things are empty is fundamental.
色即是空 specifically states that form is emptiness, a core Heart Sutra phrase, while 一切皆空 is a broader statement that all things are empty.
A yojijukugo of Buddhist origin, composed of 一切 (all, everything), 皆 (all, everything), and 空 (emptiness, void). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects the Mahayana Buddhist concept of śūnyatā.