空间

• Pinyin: kōng jiān
• Hanzi breakdown: 空 = 穴 (cave/hollow) + 工 (work/measure) — a measured hollow; 间 = 門 (gate) + 月 (moon) — moonlight through a gap, suggesting space in between

Meaning

Space; room. Refers to physical space, room for movement or storage, or abstract space for ideas, growth, or development.

Used for both physical and abstract concepts of space. Physically, it can mean living space, storage room, or dimensional space. Abstractly, it refers to room for development (发展空间), personal space (个人空间), or imaginative space. In digital contexts, it also means online space or storage (网络空间, 存储空间).

Examples

1. 这间公寓空间很大，住起来很舒适。 This apartment has a lot of space and is very comfortable to live in.
2. 他需要一些个人空间，请不要打扰他。 He needs some personal space — please don't disturb him.
3. 新技术的出现为这个行业创造了更大的发展空间。 The emergence of new technology has created greater room for development in this industry.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, architecture, personal, abstract

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个房间的空间利用得很好。(The space in this room is used very well.)
• 给孩子一些自由空间，让他们自己成长。(Give children some free space to grow on their own.)

Don't Say

• 我有空间去商店 (Don't use 空间 to mean free time — use 时间 or 空闲 for having time available; 空间 refers to spatial or abstract developmental room, not time)

Origin & History

A compound of 空 (empty; hollow; sky — the idea of emptiness or void) and 间 (space between; interval — derived from 門 with 月 light shining through a gap), together conveying the concept of an open interval or empty expanse.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal