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March 24, 2026
饥(飢)jī(ji1)
饥 (jī) refers to the state of being hungry or the sensation of hunger. It is often used in contexts related to food scarcity or famine, and can also describe a general feeling of starvation. This character can also appear in discussions surrounding food security and nutrition.
Strokes5Radical饣Frequency#18976DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
Hunger has been a significant theme in Chinese history, especially during periods of famine. The character 饥 can evoke historical memories of hardship and resilience, reflecting the importance of food security in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Think of 饥 (jī) as a 'hungry' person with an empty bowl (the bowl is represented by the top radical 食, meaning food). Picture this person's stomach growling, reminding you of the sound 'jī' as they long for a meal.
Meanings of 饥
jī(ji1)
1hungry
2hungry, starving; hunger, famine
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 饥
饥Simplified
飢Traditional
5Strokes
饣Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#18976Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 饥
Podcast: 饥
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AI Study Notes for 饥
Quick Contrast
饥 (jī) vs 饿 (è) — use 饥 for a more formal or literary context of hunger, while 饿 is more commonly used in everyday speech.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 饥 (jī) as a 'hungry' person with an empty bowl (the bowl is represented by the top radical 食, meaning food). Picture this person's stomach growling, reminding you of the sound 'jī' as they long for a meal.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 饥 with the more common word for 'hungry' in conversational Mandarin, which is 饿 (è). While 饥 may sound more formal or literary, it is important to use the correct context when discussing hunger. Be careful with the tone; 'jī' is pronounced with a first tone, which can easily be mistaken for the fourth tone.
HSK Study Tips
饥 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list but is related to other food-related words. Students should focus on differentiating between 饥, 饿, and related terms like 食 (shí, food) to build a broader vocabulary around hunger and nutrition.
Cultural Note
Hunger has been a significant theme in Chinese history, especially during periods of famine. The character 饥 can evoke historical memories of hardship and resilience, reflecting the importance of food security in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes mistakenly use 饥 in casual situations where 饿 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我饥' instead of '我饿' to mean 'I am hungry.' Always opt for 饿 in informal speech.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 饥
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Grammar Patterns of 饥
饥 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The civil war is obstructing distribution of famine relief by aid agencies.
9
他饥渴地喝着岩石下水潭中的水。
tā jī kě dì hē zháo yán shí xià shuǐ tán zhōng de shuǐ。
He drank thirstily from the pool under the rock.
10
年仅12岁时，她就开始如饥似渴地阅读报纸。
nián jǐn12 12 suì， shí ， tā jiù kāi shǐ rú jī sì kě dì yuè dú。
She began devouring newspapers when she was only
Cultural Notes for 饥
🏮Cultural insight
Hunger has been a significant theme in Chinese history, especially during periods of famine. The character 饥 can evoke historical memories of hardship and resilience, reflecting the importance of food security in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 饥
Words Containing This Character15
饥饿jī’èhunger飢餓
饥渴hungry and thirsty飢渴
饥jīhungry飢
饥荒famine饑荒
充饥to allay one's hunger充飢
饥肠辘辘stomach rumbling with hunger飢腸轆轆
饥寒交迫starving and freezing飢寒交迫
如饥似渴to long for sth如飢似渴
饥不择食When matters are urgent, don't spend time choosing alternatives.飢不擇食
忍饥挨饿rěnjīáièstarving忍飢挨餓
画饼充饥to feed on illusions (idiom)畫餅充飢
饱汉不知饿汉饥The well-fed cannot know how the starving suffer (idiom).飽漢不知餓漢飢
积谷防饥storing grain against a famine積穀防饑
啼饥号寒hunger cries and cold roars (idiom); wretched poverty啼饑號寒
饥馑荐臻famine repeats unceasingly (idiom, from Book of Songs)饑饉薦臻
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 饥饿 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 饥
No, 饥 is more formal and often found in written texts or discussions about famine.
饥 is typically used in a literary or formal context, while 饿 is the word you would use in everyday conversation.
No, 饥 specifically refers to physical hunger; emotional hunger would require different vocabulary.
