Meaning
虚无 refers to a state of emptiness, nothingness, or non-existence. It carries philosophical weight, often describing the absence of substance, meaning, or reality. The term is commonly used in existential and Buddhist contexts to express nihilism or the illusory nature of phenomena.
Usage
虚无 appears frequently in philosophical, literary, and psychological discussions. It can describe both a concrete sense of emptiness and an abstract philosophical concept of meaninglessness. Native speakers use it to convey profound emptiness or when discussing nihilistic worldviews. The phrase 虚无主义 (nihilism) is a common extension.
Examples
- 01经历了那么多失败后，他陷入了深深的虚无感。, .After experiencing so many failures, he fell into a deep sense of emptiness.
- 02存在主义哲学探讨人类面对虚无时的选择。.Existentialist philosophy explores human choices when facing nothingness.
Characters
Common collocations
- 虚无主义nihilism
- 虚无缥缈vague and illusory
- 感到虚无to feel empty/nihilistic
- 陷入虚无to fall into nothingness
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters reinforce the concept of emptiness: 虚 means 'empty' or 'insubstantial,' while 无 means 'nothing' or 'without.' Together they create an intensified expression of absolute nothingness, used in classical Chinese philosophy and Buddhism.