渴

kě

曷 + 氵

HSK 2.0Level 3

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

kě (adjective) thirsty

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 曷 represents the sound.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 曷

About

渴 is a phono-semantic compound with the water radical 氵 (shuǐ) on the left, indicating a connection to liquids or their absence. The right side is the phonetic component 曷 (hé). Its literal meaning is "thirsty" or "having a dry mouth", describing a physical need for water. This concept extends metaphorically to an intense desire or yearning for abstract things like knowledge, talent, or freedom, likening a strong emotional or intellectual craving to the sensation of severe dehydration.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我今天有点渴。

Wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎn kě.

I am a little thirsty today.

他渴了想喝水。

Tā kěle xiǎng hē shuǐ.

He is thirsty and wants to drink water.

运动后感到口渴。

Yùndòng hòu gǎndào kǒukě.

I feel thirsty after exercise.

孩子渴望得到玩具。

Háizi kěwàng dédào wánjù.

The child longs to get a toy.

在沙漠里旅行容易口渴。

Zài shāmò lǐ lǚxíng róngyì kǒukě.

Traveling in the desert easily makes one thirsty.

他对知识充满渴望。

Tā duì zhīshi chōngmǎn kěwàng.

He is full of thirst for knowledge.

如果你渴了，就喝点水吧。

Rúguǒ nǐ kěle, jiù hē diǎn shuǐ ba.

If you are thirsty, drink some water.

长期干旱使土地渴望雨水。

Chángqī gānhàn shǐ tǔdì kěwàng yǔshuǐ.

The long-term drought makes the land thirst for rain.

Related Characters

Component: 曷

Component: 氵

渴