馑 (jǐn) - famine, crop failure, scarcity of food

馑Tone 3

jǐn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

馑 · jǐn

famine, crop failure, scarcity of food

famine, crop failure, scarcity of food

Usage highlights

faminefamine yearsevere faminefamine relieffamine victimsfamine and hunger

Synonyms

  • 饥— hunger, famine
  • 荒— famine, crop failure
  • 饿— hunger, starvation

Antonyms

  • 丰— abundance, plentiful harvest
  • 裕— affluence, abundance
  • 足— sufficient, ample

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The region suffered from severe famine (饥馑).
  • During the famine years (馑年), many people starved.
  • The government provided relief during the food shortage (粮食饥馑).

Collocations

  • famine(饥馑)
  • famine year(馑年)
  • severe famine(大馑)
  • famine relief(救馑)
  • famine victims(馑民)
  • famine and hunger(饥馑)

Idioms

  • Famine and hunger(饥馑)
  • Years of famine and hunger(饥馑之年)
  • Famine relief and disaster aid(救馑赈灾)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with agricultural societies where crop failures meant mass starvation.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, famine was one of the worst natural disasters, often mentioned alongside floods and droughts.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing periods of hardship and government relief efforts.

FAQ