解渴 (jiě kě) — to quench (thirst) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'to quench (thirst)' — used when a drink actually relieves your thirst. Distinct from 渴望 ('to long for, thirst for'), which is metaphorical longing, not physical thirst.

verb

to quench (thirst)

Examples

解渴。
Yùn dòng hòu hē yì bēi liáng bái kāi zuì jiě kě.
After exercise, a glass of cool boiled water quenches thirst best.
解渴。
Xià tiān chī xī guā yě néng jiě kě.
In summer, eating watermelon can also quench thirst.
，解渴。
Zhè zhǒng gōng néng yǐn liào suī rán tián, dàn gēn běn bù néng jiě kě.
Although this sports drink is sweet, it can't quench thirst at all.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

渴kěthirst

“解” removes and “渴” thirst, so it means to end thirst.

Characters in this word

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

角刀牛解

角角jiǎohorn
刀刀dāoknife
牛牛niúcow

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

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

氵曷渴

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Beverages

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