饥饿

jī’è

hunger

HSK 6

Character Breakdown

Understanding 饥饿 (jī è)

饥饿 means 'hunger' or 'starvation' and describes the physical sensation of needing food. It is often used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as describing actual hunger or a strong desire or craving for something.

Usage in Daily Life

This word is commonly used to express physical hunger, especially after not eating for a long time. It can also describe emotional or psychological states influenced by hunger, such as irritability or difficulty concentrating.

Common Collocations

  • 饥饿 (jī'è gǎn): feeling of hunger, used to describe the sensation
  • 饥饿状态 (jī'è zhuàngtài): state of hunger, often used in medical or psychological contexts
  • 饥饿 (jī'è nán nài): unbearable hunger, emphasizing extreme hunger

Important Notes

饥饿 is more formal and often used in written or serious contexts compared to simpler words like 饿 (è), which is more casual and common in spoken language. Avoid confusing 饥饿 with 饿; the former emphasizes the condition or state, while the latter is often used as an adjective or verb meaning 'to be hungry.'

Example Sentences

他因为长时间没有吃东西,感到非常饥饿。

Tā yīnwèi cháng shíjiān méiyǒu chī dōngxī, gǎndào fēicháng jī'è.

He felt very hungry because he hadn't eaten for a long time.

饥饿不仅仅是身体的感觉,也会影响人的情绪和思考能力。

Jī'è bù jǐn jǐn shì shēntǐ de gǎnjué, yě huì yǐngxiǎng rén de qíngxù hé

Hunger is not only a physical sensation but also affects a person's mood and

在饥饿的状态下,人们更容易做出冲动的决定。

Zài jī'è de zhuàngtài xià, rénmen gèng róngyì zuòchū chōngdòng de juédìng.

When hungry, people are more likely to make impulsive decisions.