About
The character for hunger, "饿" in its modern form, is a semantic-phonetic compound built from the radical for food or eating, "食" (shí), on the left, combined with "我" (wǒ), meaning "I" or "self", on the right, which primarily provides a phonetic clue. This structure directly links the concept to a personal, physical need for sustenance. Originally, the character denoted a state of severe hunger, often leaning towards starvation or famine, a meaning that has softened in common modern usage to express ordinary hunger. The traditional form, "餓", maintains the same fundamental composition, with the "食" component appearing in its fuller, more complex shape, emphasizing its role as the definitive semantic indicator for all matters related to food and consumption.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我现在饿了。
他工作后很饿。
我饿了，想去吃饭。
早上我没吃饭，所以饿了。
饥饿的感觉很难受。
如果你饿了，就应该吃东西。
他非常饿，几乎走不动了。
尽管他已经饿了很长时间，但他还是决定先完成工作。