饿 (è) — hungry
Definition
Everyday word for 'hungry'. 饥饿 (HSK 6) is a more formal, written/literary version used for serious hunger or starvation.
adjective
hungry
Examples
- 饿。Wǒ yǒu diǎn è.I'm a bit hungry.
- 饿？Nǐ è le ma?Are you hungry?
- 饿。Tā hǎo xiàng hěn è.He seems very hungry.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 餓; 饿 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 餓 is made from 食, a food part, and 我, a sound part.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 3 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.