Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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.
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.
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
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 饥 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 几 represents the sound. Simplified form of 飢.
1The meaning half饣 carries the sense.
2The sound half几 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayfood
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 饥? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 饥?
Decomposition of 饥
IDS Structure⿰饣几
饥Full Character
=
饣shi2
left
几ji1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 饥?
How to say hungry in Chinese
“hungry” in Chinese is饥jī
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.
When to use 饥
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.
饥 or something close to it
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.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 饥
饥
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 饥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
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 2 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.
