餓 (è) - Hungry — the state of needing or desiring & experiencing hunger

餓Tone 4

è ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

餓 · è

Hungry — the state of needing or desiring food;

experiencing hunger;

can also metaphorically describe strong desire or craving.

Hungry — the state of needing or desiringexperiencing hungercan also metaphorically describe strong desire or craving.

Usage highlights

HungryVery hungryStarvingHungry stomachHunger and coldHunger strike

Synonyms

  • 饥— hunger, famine (more formal/literary)
  • 空腹— empty stomach

Antonyms

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

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I am very hungry (我很饿).
  • The child is crying from hunger (孩子饿哭了).
  • He is starving to death (他快饿死了).
  • Don't let the guests go hungry (别让客人饿着).

Collocations

  • Hungry(饿)
  • Very hungry(很饿)
  • Starving(饿死)
  • Hungry stomach(饿肚子)
  • Hunger and cold(饥饿寒冷)
  • Hunger strike(绝食抗议)

Idioms

  • Hunger lends flavor to any food(饥不择食)
  • Hunger and cold pose twin threats to survival(饥寒交迫)
  • Endure hunger and bear hardships(忍饥挨饿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, hunger was a common concern, reflected in many idioms about food scarcity.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing famine conditions and poverty.
  • Modern usage extends metaphorically to describe intense desire for non-food items (e.g., 'knowledge-hungry').

FAQ