天空

tiānkōng

sky

HSK 5

漢字分解

Understanding 天空 (tiānkōng)

The word 天空 literally combines (sky, heaven) and (empty, hollow) to mean 'sky.' It refers to the visible expanse above the earth, often used in everyday conversation to describe weather, natural scenery, or the atmosphere.

Usage and Nuance

天空 is a neutral, standard term for 'sky' and is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese. It often appears in descriptions of weather (晴朗天空 - clear sky), natural phenomena (天空 - stars fill the sky), or poetic contexts.

Common Collocations

  • 天空晴朗 (tiānkōng qínglǎng): clear sky, used to describe good weather.
  • 飞机天空 (fēijī zài tiānkōng zhōng fēixíng): airplane flying in the sky, a common phrase in travel or transport contexts.
  • (xīngkōng): starry sky, a poetic or descriptive term.

Tips

Avoid confusing 天空 with 天气 (tiānqì, weather) or (tiāndì, heaven and earth). 天空 specifically refers to the sky itself, the space above us, not the weather conditions or the broader concept of heaven and earth.

例文

今天的天空非常晴朗,适合出去散步。

Jīntiān de tiānkōng fēicháng qínglǎng, shìhé chūqù sànbù.

Today's sky is very clear, perfect for going out for a walk.

飞机在天空中飞行,看起来像一只小鸟。

Fēijī zài tiānkōng zhōng fēixíng, kàn qǐlái xiàng yì zhī xiǎo niǎo.

The airplane is flying in the sky, looking like a small bird.

晚上,天空布满了星星,景色非常美丽。

Wǎnshàng, tiānkōng bùmǎn le xīngxing, jǐngsè fēicháng měilì.

At night, the sky is full of stars, and the scenery is very beautiful.