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餒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
餒něifamished, hungry, starvingx, 15 strokes, radical 飠, rank #78232, Very Hard
něi(nei3)nei T3
  1. 1famished, hungry, starving
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March 24, 2026

餒něi(nei3)

The character 餒 (něi) conveys a sense of extreme hunger or starvation. It is often used in literary contexts to emphasize a deep yearning for food, reflecting not just a physical state but also an emotional one. This word can be associated with dire situations where food scarcity is a concern.

Strokes15Radical飠Frequency#78232DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, hunger and food scarcity have profound historical significance, often reflected in literature and poetry. 餒 might be found in stories depicting famine or hardship, highlighting the importance of food in human experience.

Memory tip

Imagine a person with a big empty plate (the character 餒) looking longingly at a feast they cannot reach. The left part of the character resembles a mouth (口), symbolizing the need for food, while the right part hints at the idea of nourishment. Remember the sound 'něi' by associating it with 'nay,' as in 'nay, I cannot eat!' when very hungry.

Meanings of 餒

něi(nei3)
1famished, hungry, starving
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 餒

餒Simplified
15Strokes
飠Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 餒

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AI study notes for 餒

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 餒 with other terms for hunger, like 餓 (è), which is more commonly used. 餒 has a more literary and dramatic connotation, so it's typically used in formal contexts or writing rather than everyday conversation. It's also important to use it in contexts where you want to express severe hunger.

HSK Study Tips

Although 餒 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can still enrich your understanding of related words like 餓 (è) and 食物 (shíwù, food). Focus on its usage in classical texts to appreciate its depth and nuances, which can enhance your vocabulary at higher levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 餒 with 餓, using it inappropriately in everyday contexts. For example, saying 餒我了 (něi wǒ le) in a casual setting instead of 餓我了 (è wǒ le) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 餒

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Etymology of 餒

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

food

Semantic (meaning)飠
+
Phonetic (sound)妥
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

餒 = 飠 + 妥. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 餒

IDS Structure⿰飠妥
餒Full character
=
飠shi2
left
妥tuo3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 餒?

How to say famished, hungry, starving in Chinese

“famished, hungry, starving” in Chinese is餒něi

The character 餒 (něi) conveys a sense of extreme hunger or starvation. It is often used in literary contexts to emphasize a deep yearning for food, reflecting not just a physical state but also an emotional one. This word can be associated with dire situations where food scarcity is a concern.

When to use 餒

Be cautious not to confuse 餒 with other terms for hunger, like 餓 (è), which is more commonly used. 餒 has a more literary and dramatic connotation, so it's typically used in formal contexts or writing rather than everyday conversation. It's also important to use it in contexts where you want to express severe hunger.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 餒 with 餓, using it inappropriately in everyday contexts. For example, saying 餒我了 (něi wǒ le) in a casual setting instead of 餓我了 (è wǒ le) is incorrect.

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餒

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Word Family of 餒

Words containing this character2
气馁qìněito be discouraged氣餒
馁něihungry餒
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 餒

What does 气馁 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 餒

It's best to reserve 餒 for literary contexts, as it sounds overly dramatic for casual discussions about hunger.

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