空白
kūhaku[kɯ̟ːha̠kɯ̟]
The Japanese word for the verb 'to void' (to make invalid or worthless) is 空白 (kūhaku).
Meaning: to make invalid or worthless (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
kūhaku
Did you know?
- While 空白 refers to a blank space, the concept of a 'void' or 'nothingness' in Japanese philosophy and Zen Buddhism is often expressed as 空 kū, which implies a state of potential rather than simple absence.
- The word 空白 is frequently used in art and design to describe 'Ma', the intentional use of negative space that gives a composition room to breathe.
- While 空白 means 'void' or 'blank space', it is more commonly used in Japanese to describe a gap in a person's resume or a period of time where nothing happened.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are discussing a canceled agreement.
- 結衣 Yuiあの計画はどうなったの？Ano keikaku wa dō natta no?What happened to that plan?
- 蓮 Ren全部空白にしたよ。Zenbu kūhaku ni shita yo.I made it all void.
- 結衣 Yui本当にいいの？Hontō ni ii no?Is that really okay?
- 蓮 Renうん、もう必要ないから。Un, mō hitsuyō nai kara.Yes, because it's not needed anymore.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 空白, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
