空蝉 うつせみ Also written 虚蝉 Meanings Noun this fleeting world; this transient life; this world one's current body; one's mortal shell; one's flesh and blood; this physical body cast-off cicada shell; cast-off husk cicada Kanji 空 sky 蝉 cicada. Read as せみ. Word lists Poetic Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists