虚うつろ

う

つ

ろ

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

Physical emptiness: a hollow space inside something, a cavity, or a void. Often used in literary or descriptive contexts.

古こ木ぼくの幹みきには大おおきな虚うつろがあった。
There was a large hollow in the trunk of the old tree.
洞うつろの中なかに小しょう動どう物ぶつが住すみ着ついていた。
A small animal had taken up residence inside the hollow.

na-adjective

hollow; blank; vacant; empty

Only when written 虚ろ / 空ろ

Abstract emptiness: describes a voice, smile, eyes, expression, or heart that lacks substance, emotion, or sincerity. Restricted to the kanji 虚ろ and 空ろ.

彼かの女じょの虚うつろな笑え顔がおがかえって悲かなしかった。
Her hollow smile was all the more sad.
失しつ恋れんしてから、彼かれの目めは虚うつろだった。
After the heartbreak, his eyes were vacant.
虚うつろな心こころでは何なにも感かんじられなかった。
With an empty heart, I couldn't feel anything.

See all 22 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

目めが虚うつろになるfor one's eyes to go blank/vacant
疲つかれ果はてた彼かれの目めは虚うつろになっていた。
His eyes had gone vacant from exhaustion.
〈物もの〉の中なかが虚うつろになっているfor the inside of something to be hollow/empty
その木きは中なかが虚うつろになっていた。
The inside of that tree had become hollow.
虚うつろな声こえで〈動どう詞し〉to say/do something in a hollow, lifeless voice
彼かの女じょは虚うつろな声こえで名な前まえを呼よんだ。
She called out the name in a hollow voice.
心こころが虚うつろになるfor one's heart/mind to feel empty or numb
大たい切せつな人ひとを失うしなってから、心こころが虚うつろになった。
After losing someone dear to him, his heart felt hollow.

Kanji

虚void, emptiness, unpreparedness
空empty, sky, void
洞den, cave, excavation

Related words

空くう洞どう sense 1
空洞 is a technical or formal term for a physical hollow or cavity, while 虚ろ can describe the same physical emptiness in a more literary, evocative way.
空くう虚きょN1sense 2
空虚 is a more abstract, philosophical term for emptiness of meaning or purpose, while 虚ろ more often describes the visible emptiness in a person's eyes, voice, or expression.
空からっぽN2sense 1
空っぽ is a casual, everyday word for something being empty (like a box or stomach), while 虚ろ is literary and often carries emotional or existential weight.
虚きょ無むN1sense 2
虚無 refers to a deep, almost philosophical nihilistic void, while 虚ろ is used more concretely to describe a vacant look or hollow feeling in the moment.
空うつける
虚ろ is an adjective/noun describing a vacant, blank look or state (e.g. 目が虚ろだ), whereas 空ける (うつける) is the verb describing the process of becoming that way.

Word family

木きの虚うつろ
hollow in a tree; tree hollow

Written forms

虚うつろUsage43%
Standard kanji spelling for both the physical cavity and the abstract emptiness senses.
うつろUsage55%
空うつろUsage2%
Alternate kanji spelling, also common; emphasizes emptiness or hollowness.
ウツロUsage1%
洞うつろ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 洞 suggests a cave-like hollow.
洞うつろ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used single-kanji form; may be confused with other readings.

Etymology

The word うつろ is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 虚 (empty, void) and 空 (sky, empty) are used for their meanings. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to the verb 移ろう (うつろう, to change, to shift), suggesting a sense of transience or hollowness.