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渴望 (kě wàng) — to long for, to thirst for

Definition

A strong, formal verb for deeply yearning or craving something (often abstract, like a goal or life change). Stronger than 想念 (missing someone) and 思念 (missing someone far away), and more intense than 盼 (looking forward to something expected).

verb
to long forto thirst for

Examples

  • 渴望。
    Tā kě wàng dé dào yí fèn hǎo gōng zuò.
    He longs to get a good job.
  • 渴望。
    Rén men dōu kě wàng guò shàng xìng fú de shēng huó.
    People all long to live a happy life.
  • 渴望。
    Tā kě wàng yǒu jī huì qù guó wài lǚ xíng.
    She longs for the opportunity to travel abroad.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

渴kěthirst
望wàngdesire

The thirst sense of 渴 intensifies the desire sense of 望, giving a strong longing.

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
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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
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