两手空空

兩手空空

liǎngshǒu-kōngkōng

idiom #19,170

Meanings

1 empty-handed
2 having nothing; penniless

Characters

Examples

他来到这个城市时两手空空。

Tā láidào zhège chéngshì shí liǎngshǒukōngkōng.

He arrived in this city empty-handed.

投资失败后，他两手空空。

Tóuzī shībài hòu, tā liǎngshǒukōngkōng.

After the investment failed, he was left with nothing.

Tips

memory

两手 (two hands) + 空空 (empty empty) — both hands are completely empty. Picture holding out both palms with nothing in them.

Stroke Order

两 liǎng

手 shǒu

空 kōng