空白（くうはく、kuuhaく）
- blank space

The Japanese word 空白, read as くうはく, primarily means "blank space," "void," "gap," or "empty." It refers to an area that is unoccupied, unfilled, or lacking something. It can be used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it can describe an empty space on a paper, or a gap in a schedule. Figuratively, it can represent a period of time, a feeling, or a state of being that is empty or lacking content.

⚫︎ 文章の空白を埋める。 Translation: Fill in the blank space in the text. ⚫︎ 彼女の人生には大きな空白があった。 Translation: There was a big void in her life. ⚫︎ スケジュールに空白時間がある。 Translation: There is a gap in the schedule.

This word is used in various contexts, both formal and informal. You can use it when referring to physical space, like a blank page, or when talking about abstract concepts, like a lack of knowledge or a missing piece of information. The specific nuance depends on the context, but the core meaning of emptiness or absence always applies. It is common in everyday conversations, written documents, and professional settings.

The word 空白 is typically written in kanji as 空白. The reading is くうはく in hiragana. There are no variations in the okurigana. The word is not commonly written in katakana.

⚫︎ 空欄 (くうらん) - "Blank space" (specifically on a form or document) ⚫︎ 隙間 (すきま) - "Gap," "space" ⚫︎ 空 (から) - "Empty," "vacant" (can be used as an adjective) ⚫︎ 無 (む) - "Nothingness," "absence"

⚫︎ 充満 (じゅうまん) - "Filled," "full" ⚫︎ 存在 (そんざい) - "Existence," "presence" ⚫︎ 有 (う) - "Having," "existing" ⚫︎ いっぱい - "Full" (informal)

宿題の解答欄には空白を残さないでください。 ・Translation: Please do not leave any blank spaces in the answer section of the homework. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 空白 to refer to the blank space on an assignment that needs to be filled in.

長い間、彼の心には大きな空白が広がっていた。 ・Translation: For a long time, a great emptiness spread in his heart. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 空白 figuratively to describe a feeling of emptiness or a void in someone's emotional state.

The word 空白 is a compound word. 空 (くう) means "empty" or "void," and 白 (はく) means "white" or "blank." Therefore, it literally means "empty white" or "blank space."