We have measured oxygen K edge absorption spectra in Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu2O10and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8layered copper oxide superconductors. We have tried to isolate the contribution of Tl‐O and Bi‐O bonds to the spectra by measuring O K edge absorption spectra in Tl2O3and Bi2O3. Since Tl and Bi are determined to be in +3 valence state in both of the superconducting compounds, we attribute the peaks below 530 eV in the absorption spectra to holes in the Cu‐O bonds. We compare the angular dependence of holes in oxygen by using polarized x‐rays.