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如饥似渴 (rú jī sì kě) — (idiom) eagerly, with great passion; describing a strong desire for something (especially knowledge or reading)

Definition

An idiom meaning to crave something as intensely as a starving person thirsts for water — used for an urgent, eager desire, most often for knowledge or reading. Adverbial use typically takes the 地 form.

idiom
eagerlywith great passiondescribing a strong desire for something (especially knowledge or reading)

Examples

  • 如饥似渴。
    Tā rú jī sì kě dì yuè dú gè zhǒng shū jí.
    He reads all kinds of books with great eagerness.
  • 如饥似渴。
    Nián qīng rén rú jī sì kě dì xué xí xīn zhī shi.
    Young people eagerly learn new knowledge.
  • 如饥似渴，。
    Tā duì yīn yuè rú jī sì kě, měi tiān liàn xí hǎo jǐ gè xiǎo shí.
    She is passionately devoted to music and practices for hours every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

如饥like hunger
如rúlike饥jīhunger
动宾Verb + object
似渴like thirst
似sìlike渴kěthirst
动宾Verb + object

如 and 似 mean like, while 饥 and 渴 mean hunger and thirst, together showing eager desire.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 飢; 饥 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 饥 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饥饿) it is 飢; in others it is 饑.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
食食shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ飢jī
Same sound today

The traditional form 飢 uses 食 for food and 几 for the sound; the simplified 饥 is a shorthand.

Open 饥 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénhuman
Sound part声符shēngfú
以
以yǐ似sì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

似 pairs 亻 (human) with 以, which gives the sound.

Open 似 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
曷
曷hé渴kě
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

渴 combines 氵 (water) with 曷 giving the sound. The water part shows dryness or exhaustion of water.

Open 渴 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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