空あき間ま

あ

き

ま

JLPTN1

Meanings

noun

vacancy; room for rent

Refers to an unoccupied room or apartment available for rent. Common in real estate contexts.

このアパートには空あき間まが一ひとつあります。
There is one vacant room in this apartment.

noun

gap; opening; space

dated term

Dated term for a physical gap or opening between objects. Modern Japanese more often uses 隙間 (すきま) or 空き (あき).

戸との空あき間まから風かぜが入はいってくる。
The wind comes in through the gap in the door.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に空あき間まがあるthere is a vacancy at (a place)
このマンションにはまだ空あき間まがある。
This apartment building still has a vacant unit.
空あき間まができるa gap forms (between things)
板いたと板いたの間あいだに空あき間まができた。
A gap formed between the boards.
空あき間まを探さがすto look for a room for rent
駅えきの近ちかくで空あき間まを探さがしている。
I'm looking for a vacant room near the station.

Kanji

空empty, sky, void
間interval, space
明bright, light

Related words

空あき部屋べや sense 1
空き部屋 is the everyday word for a vacant room, while 空き間 is a more old-fashioned term used mainly in real estate listings.
隙すき間まN2sense 2
隙間 is the common modern word for a physical gap or crevice, while 空き間 in this sense is dated and rarely used today.
空あきN3sense 2
空き is the plainer, more current word for an open space or gap, whereas 空き間 sounds old-fashioned for the same idea.

Opposites

満まん室しつN3sense 1
満室 means fully occupied with no vacancies, the direct opposite of 空き間 in the sense of an available room.

Don't confuse with

空あき家や sense 1
空き家 means an entire vacant house, not a single vacant room or gap like 空き間, despite the similar spelling.

Built from

空あき+間ま

Written forms

空あき間まUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
明あき間ま
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
空あき間ま
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana usage; Normally read くうかん.

Etymology

Compound of 空き (あき, 'empty') + 間 (ま, 'room' or 'space'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period.