空心

kòngxīn / kōngxīn
adverb #22,024

Meanings

  1. 1 on an empty stomach
  2. 2 without having eaten first

Examples

HSK 3
Kòngxīn hējiǔ duì shēntǐ bùhǎo.
Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you.
HSK 4
Míngtiān tǐjiǎn, jìde kòngxīn qù.
You have a check-up tomorrow, so remember to go without eating.
HSK 6
Zhè yào yào kòngxīn fúyòng.
This medicine should be taken on an empty stomach.

Tips

mistakes
Fourth tone on 空 is the reading that means free or unfilled, and it gives this word, said of a stomach with nothing in it. With first tone, 空心 is a different word meaning hollow.
register
Slightly old-fashioned, and mostly heard around medicine and doctor's orders. The word you will see on modern labels and hospital forms is 空腹, which means the same thing and is read with a first tone.

Stroke Order

空 kōng
心 xīn