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虚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虚xūemptinessHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūvoidHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūabstract theory or guiding principlesHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūempty or unoccupiedHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūdiffident or timidHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūfalseHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūhumble or modestHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xū(of health) weakHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūvirtualHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūin vainHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
虚xūfalse; worthless, hollow, empty; vainHSK 7, d, 11 strokes, radical 虍, rank #7826, Hard
xū(xu1) T1
  1. 1emptiness
  2. 2void
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
虚(虛)xū(xu1)

The character 虚 (xū) primarily signifies 'emptiness' or 'void,' but it also conveys concepts such as humility, falsehood, and abstraction. It is commonly used in philosophical contexts, particularly in discussions about the nature of reality and existence. The character can describe physical emptiness, as well as emotional states like timidity or weakness.

Strokes11Radical虍Frequency#7826DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Daoism and Buddhism, the concept of emptiness (虚) is fundamental, representing a state of openness and receptivity. This idea is often reflected in traditional Chinese arts and practices, emphasizing the value of emptiness in achieving harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big, empty space (虚) where nothing exists; it looks like a vast void. The character's components suggest something lacking or absent, which can help you remember its meaning. Think of it as 'X' marks the spot where something should be but isn’t.

Meanings of 虚

xū(xu1)
1emptiness
2void
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 虚

虚Simplified
虛Traditional
11Strokes
虍Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#7826Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 虚

JasonAmy

Podcast: 虚

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 虚

Quick Contrast

虚 (xū) vs 空 (kōng) — use 虚 for abstract emptiness or humility, while 空 refers to physical emptiness or void.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a big, empty space (虚) where nothing exists; it looks like a vast void. The character's components suggest something lacking or absent, which can help you remember its meaning. Think of it as 'X' marks the spot where something should be but isn’t.

Usage Notes

虚 is often used in both formal and informal contexts but may sound overly philosophical if used in casual conversation. Common collocations include 虚心 (humbly) and 虚假 (false). Be careful with tone; the first tone in xū is crucial for correct pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 虚 is not listed in HSK, it connects to more advanced vocabulary related to philosophy and personal qualities. Students should focus on understanding its meanings in different contexts, especially in philosophical texts or discussions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Daoism and Buddhism, the concept of emptiness (虚) is fundamental, representing a state of openness and receptivity. This idea is often reflected in traditional Chinese arts and practices, emphasizing the value of emptiness in achieving harmony.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虚 with 空 (kōng), both meaning 'empty,' but 虚 carries additional nuances such as humility or falsehood. For example, saying '他的房间是空的' (tā de fángjiān shì kōng de) is correct for 'His room is empty,' but using 虚 here is inappropriate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虚

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Etymology of 虚

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A tiger 虍 stalking in the bushes 业

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 虚?

Decomposition of 虚

IDS Structure⿸虍业
虚Full Character
=
虍hu1
enclosing
业Ye4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 虚?

Write 虚

虚

Practice writing 虚 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 虚

虚 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 11 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

为什么像大学这样人才济济的社区要害怕____无主义呢？

Why should a great community like a university be afraid of nihilism?

Common Confusions with 虚

虚vs需
xū

Same pronunciation but different meaning and usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "emptiness"?

or

Usage Notes for 虚

Misunderstanding the Abstract MeaningCommon Error

Learners may confuse '虚' with more concrete terms and struggle with its abstract meanings.

1

这个理论太虚幻了。

This theory is too abstract.

Usage in ModestyUsage

'虚' is often used to describe modesty or humility, which can be overlooked by learners.

1

他很虚心。

He is very modest.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

这个理论太____幻了。

This theory is too abstract.

Example Sentences for 虚 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
为什么像大学这样人才济济的社区要害怕虚无主义呢？

wéi shí mó xiàng dà xué zhè yàng rén cái jì jì de shè qū yào hài pà xū wú zhǔ yì ne？

Why should a great community like a university be afraid of nihilism?
2
“你表面谦虚，骨子里目中无人。”她说道。

“ “ nǐ biǎo miàn qiān， xū ， gǔ zǐ lǐ mù zhōng。” wú rén 。”。

"Your modesty is a cover for your overweening conceit," she said.
3
这一装置有助于使虚拟现实成为更可用、更便利的技术。

zhè yī zhuāng zhì yǒu zhù yú shǐ xū nǐ xiàn shí chéng wéi gēng kě yòng、 、 gēng biàn lì de jì。

This device helps make virtual reality a more usable and accessible technology.
4
偶尔会有病人过于虚弱，必须通过静脉注射进食。

ǒu ěr huì yǒu bìng rén guò yú xū ruò， ， bì xū tōng guò jìng mài zhù shè jìn。

Occasionally a patient is so debilitated that he must be fed intravenously.
5
她分手时说的话让他感觉空虚孤独。

tā fēn shǒu shí shuō de huà ràng tā gǎn jué kōng xū gū dú。

Her parting words left him feeling empty and alone.
6
他们说起自己设法使油轮漂浮的英勇之举时非常谦虚。

tā mén shuō qǐ zì jǐ shè fǎ shǐ yóu lún piāo fú de yīng yǒng zhī jǔ shí fēi cháng qiān xū。

They talked modestly of their valiant efforts to keep the tanker afloat.
7
人们想买名牌是为了满足虚荣心。

rén mén xiǎng mǎi míng pái shì wéi le mǎn zú xū róng xīn。

People want to buy designer labels for snob value.
8
问她是什么意思，她故弄玄虚地说：“你自己想吧。”

wèn tā shì shí mó yì sī， ， tā gù nòng xuán xū dì：“ shuō ：“ nǐ zì jǐ。”

Asked what she meant, she said mysteriously: "Work it out for yourself".
9
男爵对整件事的虚伪感到越来越生气。

nán jué duì zhěng jiàn shì de xū wěi gǎn dào yuè lái yuè shēng qì。

The baron became increasingly heated over the hypocrisy of it all.
10
我们对这些子虚乌有的谣言从何而来很感兴趣。

wǒ mén duì zhè xiē zǐ xū wū yǒu de yáo yán cóng hé ér lái hěn gǎn xīng qù。

We're interested in the source of these fictitious rumours.

Cultural Notes for 虚

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Daoism and Buddhism, the concept of emptiness (虚) is fundamental, representing a state of openness and receptivity. This idea is often reflected in traditional Chinese arts and practices, emphasizing the value of emptiness in achieving harmony.

Word Family of 虚

Compounds10
嘘xu1to blow, to exhale, to hiss, to sigh; to praise
墟xu1ruins
觑qu4to peep, to watch, to spy on
歔xu1to snort, to blow through the nose
魖xu1black
憈
戯
譃
驉
鱋
Words Containing This Character20
虚xūvoid虛
虚假xūjiǎfalse虛假
虚构xūgòuto make up虛構
虚拟xūnǐto imagine虛擬
虚弱xūruòweak虛弱
虚伪xūwěifalse虛偽
空虚kōngxūhollow空虛
谦虚qiānxūmodest謙虛
虚幻xūhuànimaginary虛幻
虚张声势(false) bravado虛張聲勢
虚无nothingness虛無
虚荣xūróngvanity虛榮
虚心xūxīnhumble虛心
心虚diffident心虛
虚度to fritter away (one's time)虛度
虚荣心vanity虛榮心
弄虚作假nòngxūzuòjiǎto practice fraud (idiom); by trickery弄虛作假
虚空void虛空
虚报to misreport虛報
虚名false reputation虛名
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 嘘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 虚

Synonyms include 空 (kōng), meaning 'empty,' and 假 (jiǎ), meaning 'false'.