飢 (jī) - hungry, starving, famine & describes the state of needing food or experiencing

飢Tone 1

jī ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

飢 · jī

hungry, starving, famine;

describes the state of needing food or experiencing food shortage.

hungry, starving, faminedescribes the state of needing food or experiencing

Usage highlights

hungerfaminestarving peoplerelieve hungerhunger and thirstendure hunger

Synonyms

  • 饿— hungry (more common in modern usage)
  • 饥— hungry (simplified variant)

Antonyms

  • 饱— full, satiated
  • 足— sufficient, adequate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The refugees were suffering from hunger (飢饿).
  • During the famine, many people starved (飢荒).
  • He felt hungry after the long journey (感到飢饿).
  • The charity provides food for the hungry (飢民).

Collocations

  • hunger(飢饿)
  • famine(飢荒)
  • starving people(飢民)
  • relieve hunger(充飢)
  • hunger and thirst(飢渴)
  • endure hunger(忍飢)

Idioms

  • To satisfy one's hunger temporarily(画饼充飢)
  • To forget about food and sleep(废寝忘飢)
  • Hunger breeds discontentment(飢寒起盗心)
  • Like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey(如飢似渴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with famine periods in Chinese history where food scarcity was common.
  • The character reflects the fundamental human concern with sustenance and survival.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 'hunger' is seen as an imbalance that affects overall health.

FAQ