空儿

• 拼音: kòng r
• 汉字拆解: 空 = 穴 (cave) + 工 (work), meaning empty or free; 儿 = simplified from 兒, pictograph of a child, used here as a colloquial suffix

含义

Free time; spare time; a gap or opening. Informal way of saying one has time available.

A colloquial noun meaning free time or a time slot when one is not busy. The 儿 suffix gives it a casual, conversational flavour typical of northern Chinese speech. Common in phrases like 有空儿 (have free time) and 没空儿 (don't have free time). Synonymous with 空闲 but more casual.

例句

1. 你什么时候有空儿？
2. 我最近一直没空儿去看电影。
3. 等有空儿的时候，我们一起吃饭吧。

用法指南

语境: scheduling, everyday, social

语气: casual

正确说法

• 你明天有空儿吗？(Are you free tomorrow?)
• 我下午有点儿空儿，可以帮你。(I have some free time in the afternoon — I can help you.)

错误说法

• 请问您有空儿吗？(In very formal situations, 空儿 sounds too casual — use 时间 instead. Say 请问您有时间吗？)

起源与历史

Derived from 空 (empty/free) with the 儿 suffix (erhua), a feature of northern Mandarin that adds a casual, colloquial tone. The original meaning of 空 as 'empty' extends to 'having nothing to do' and thus 'free time.'

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal