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饥渴 (jī kě) — hunger and thirst; strong desire, craving (figurative)

Definition

A paired noun meaning 'hunger and thirst' (literal) or a strong craving (figurative, e.g. for knowledge or goods). Note the order: 饥 first, 渴 second — 渴 alone means 'thirst' and pairs with 对…的渴 to express a longing.

noun
hunger and thirststrong desirecraving (figurative)

Examples

  • 饥渴。
    Zài shā mò zhōng háng zǒu de rén huì gǎn dào jí dù de jī kě.
    People walking in the desert will feel extreme hunger and thirst.
  • 饥渴。
    Tā duì zhī shi de jī kě cù shǐ tā bú duàn xué xí.
    His thirst for knowledge drives him to keep learning.
  • 饥渴。
    Xiāo fèi zhě duì yōu zhì chǎn pǐn yǒu yì zhǒng jī kě.
    Consumers have a craving for quality products.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

饥jīhunger
渴kěthirst

饥 means hunger and 渴 means thirst, together expressing physical need or a strong craving.

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.

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
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
Abstract Concepts

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