飢(う)え

うえ

noun

hunger, starvation

body-part abstract

1. hunger, starvation

The state of suffering from lack of food.

飢(う)えに苦(くる)しむ。

To suffer from hunger.

飢(う)えと渇(かわ)きで倒(たお)れた。

I collapsed from hunger and thirst.

戦争(せんそう)で多(おお)くの人(ひと)が飢(う)えに苦(くる)しんだ。

Many people suffered from starvation during the war.

2. craving, yearning

A strong desire or longing for something one lacks, used figuratively.

愛情(あいじょう)に飢(う)えている。

To be starved for affection.

知識(ちしき)への飢(う)えが彼(かれ)を動(うご)かしている。

A hunger for knowledge drives him.

勝利(しょうり)に飢(う)えた選手(せんしゅ)たちが全力(ぜんりょく)でプレーした。

The players, hungry for victory, played with all their might.

The noun form of the verb 飢(う)える (to starve, to hunger). Used both literally for physical hunger and figuratively for emotional or intellectual craving.

Common collocations

飢(う)えに苦(くる)しむ — to suffer from hunger
飢(う)えと渇(かわ)き — hunger and thirst
飢(う)えをしのぐ — to stave off hunger
愛情(あいじょう)に飢(う)えている — to be starved for affection
飢(う)えた目(め) — hungry eyes (figurative)

Usage

The literal sense is used in serious contexts such as famine, poverty, and historical narratives. The figurative sense is common in everyday language and journalism, often with に飢(う)えている (starved for ~).

Similar words

空腹(くうふく) — hunger (physical, neutral/medical)
飢餓(きが) — famine, starvation (more severe, large-scale)

Related Words

Compare: 空腹(くうふく) (hunger)

Compare: 飢餓(きが) (famine, starvation)

Related: 渇(かわ)き (thirst)

Compare: 餓死(がし) (starvation)

Compare: 空腹感(くうふくかん) (feeling of hunger)

Compare: 食糧不足(しょくりょうぶそく) (food shortage)

general

Added 2026.3.27 11:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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