() — thirsty

Definition

Examples

  • Wǒ kě le, xiǎng hē shuǐ.
    I'm thirsty and want to drink water.
  • Tiān qì tài rè, wǒ jué de hěn kě.
    The weather is too hot, I feel very thirsty.
  • Zǒu le yí gè xiǎo shí, wǒ kě le, hē le yì bēi shuǐ.
    After walking for an hour, I got thirsty and drank a thirsty and drank a glass of water.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
Written in full asshuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
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.

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