How to empty a file using Python

In开发者_StackOverflow the Unix shell I can do this to empty a file:

cd /the/file/directory/
:> thefile.ext

How would I go about doing this in Python?

Is os.system the way here, I wouldn't know how since I would have to send 2 actions after each other i.e. the cd and then the :>.

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Opening a file creates it and (unless append ('a') is set) overwrites it with emptyness, such as this:

open(filename, 'w').close()

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Alternate form of the answer by @rumpel

with open(filename, 'w'): pass