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渴
kě
What does "渴" mean in English?
thirsty我渴了，想喝水。
I'm thirsty and want to drink water.
How to use "渴" correctly: definitions and examples in English?
neutral
feeling a need to drink; experiencing thirst
天气太热，我感到非常渴。
It's too hot, so I feel very thirsty.
运动后口渴得厉害。
After exercising, I'm extremely thirsty.
Commonly used in everyday contexts to describe physical thirst. Can also metaphorically describe a strong desire for something (e.g., 渴望知识 'thirst for knowledge').
literaryformal
to feel a strong desire or longing for something
他渴望自由。
He yearns for freedom.
人民渴望和平。
The people long for peace.
Often used in written or formal speech to express deep desire or aspiration.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguish 渴 and 干渴
渴 is the standard word for 'thirsty.' 干渴 is a more literary or emphatic form, often used in formal or poetic contexts (e.g., '干渴的土地' — 'parched land').
Gold Rule
渴 as a metaphor
渴 can describe a strong desire beyond physical thirst, e.g., 渴望知识 (thirst for knowledge), 渴望自由 (yearn for freedom).
Word Origin
From Old Chinese 喝 (*kʰaːt), related to thirst and dryness. The character 渴 depicts water (氵) combined with a phonetic component 曷 (*ɡaːt), indicating a lack of water.
Usage Notes
渴 is primarily used to describe physical thirst but can also denote a strong desire metaphorically. In modern Chinese, it is less common as a verb ('to thirst') and more often used as an adjective ('thirsty').
Word Breakdown
氵
water radical, indicating relation to water or liquid
root曷
phonetic component (kě sound)
phonetic汉英词典