Japanese symbol for “false”
空
から
Romaji: kara
emptiness; being empty
In Japanese, false is 空, read から (kara).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- adj-no, n emptiness; being empty
- pref not carrying anything; unburdened; empty-handed
- pref dishonoured (bill, promise, etc.); false; no-show (reservation); put-on (cheeriness, courage, etc.); empty (compliments); insincere
Written forms: 空、虚. Readings: から、カラ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “false”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 疑似 | ぎじ giji | pseudo; quasi; false |
| 似非 | えせ ese | false; pseudo-; quasi- |
| 仮性 | かせい kasei | false (symptoms) |
| 辟 | へき heki | false; punish; crime |
| 空々しい | そらぞらしい sorazorashii | false; hypocritical |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 空気 | くうき kuuki | air; atmosphere |
| 空港 | くうこう kuukou | airport |
| 空間 | くうかん kuukan | space; room; airspace |
| 航空 | こうくう koukuu | aviation; flying |
| 航空機 | こうくうき koukuuki | aircraft |
| 空中 | くうちゅう kuuchuu | (in) the air; midair; sky |
See also: Chinese symbol for “false”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.