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A2 adjective 14 دقيقة للقراءة

饿死

è sǐ

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح 饿死 في 30 ثانية

الشرح 饿死 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic form of this word: '饿' (è), which means hungry. You might learn '我饿了' (I am hungry) first. However, '饿死了' (èsǐ le) is often introduced very early because it is a common 'survival' phrase. At this stage, you don't need to understand the complex grammar of resultative complements. Just learn '饿死了' as a single chunk that means 'I'm starving'. It's a great way to express a strong feeling with very little vocabulary. You should also recognize that '死' means 'die', but here it just means 'very'. This helps you start to understand how Chinese uses exaggeration to show intensity.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the A2 level, you start to see the structure behind '饿死'. You learn that '死' (sǐ) can be attached to many adjectives to mean 'extremely'. This is the level where you should begin using '饿死了' (èsǐ le) in your own conversations with friends or teachers. You should also learn to use the word '快' (kuài - almost) with it, as in '我快饿死了' (I'm almost starving). You should be able to distinguish between '饿' (basic hunger) and '饿死' (extreme hunger). You are also expected to understand that this is an informal expression and might not be suitable for the most formal classroom or business settings, although it is very common in daily life.

At the B1 level, you should understand '饿死' as a Resultative Verb Compound (RVC). You understand that '饿' is the state and '死' is the result. This is also the level where you start to encounter '饿死' in literal contexts, such as in stories or simple news reports about people who don't have enough to eat. You should be able to use '饿死' in more complex sentence structures, like '要是你不快点，我就要饿死了' (If you aren't faster, I'm going to starve). You should also begin to learn related idioms like '饥肠辘辘' (jī cháng lù lù) and understand when to use the idiom versus the more common '饿死'.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the B2 level, you can use '饿死' with a high degree of nuance. You understand its hyperbolic nature and can use it for social effect—to tease, to complain, or to emphasize a point. You should also be familiar with how '饿死' can be used transitively, as in '饿死害虫' (starve the pests). You should be able to explain the difference between '饿死' and more formal terms like '饥饿' (jī'è) or '匮乏' (kuìfá - scarcity). At this level, you should also be able to recognize the word in historical contexts, such as discussions about the Great Chinese Famine, and understand the cultural weight the literal meaning of the word carries.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C1 level, you should have a deep understanding of the register and cultural connotations of '饿死'. You can use it in sophisticated wordplay or literary writing. You should be able to analyze how the use of '死' as an intensifier reflects a broader trend in the Chinese language towards hyperbole. You should also be familiar with classical or archaic terms for starvation and how '饿死' has evolved into its modern form. Your use of the word should be indistinguishable from a native speaker, knowing exactly when the exaggeration is appropriate and when it might be perceived as insensitive or overly dramatic.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C2 level, '饿死' is just one small tool in a vast arsenal of expressions. You understand the philosophical and sociological implications of 'hunger' and 'starvation' in Chinese culture. You can discuss the word's usage in different regional dialects or historical periods. You might analyze how the phrase '饿死' appears in modern internet slang or how it is used in political rhetoric. Your understanding is not just linguistic but also deeply cultural, recognizing the echoes of the past in the casual exaggerations of the present. You can use the term in any context, from a lighthearted joke to a profound literary analysis of human suffering.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح

饿死 في 30 ثانية

饿死 (èsǐ) literally means to starve to death but is mostly used to say 'I'm starving'.
It is a very common, informal way to express extreme hunger among friends and family.
Grammatically, it's a resultative compound usually followed by 'le' to show a current state.
Avoid using it in formal settings or with degree adverbs like 'hěn' (very).

The Chinese term 饿死 (èsǐ) is a fascinating linguistic construct that combines the verb 饿 (è), meaning 'to be hungry', with the resultative complement 死 (sǐ), meaning 'to die'. While it can literally mean 'to die of starvation' in historical or tragic contexts, in modern everyday Chinese, it is overwhelmingly used as a hyperbolic adjective or verb phrase to express extreme hunger. It is the direct equivalent of the English phrase 'I am starving' or 'I am famished'. Understanding this word requires a grasp of how Chinese speakers use extreme results to emphasize current states. When a student says they are 饿死, they aren't calling for medical intervention; they are simply signaling that their stomach is very empty and they need food immediately.

Literal Meaning: Hungry to the point of death; to starve to death.
Figurative Usage: Extremely hungry; famished; 'starving'. This is the most common use in modern Mandarin.

下班以后我真的饿死了，我们去吃火锅吧！(Xiàbān yǐhòu wǒ zhēn de èsǐ le, wǒmen qù chī huǒguō ba!) — After work I am truly starving, let's go eat hotpot!

The structure [Adjective/Verb] + 死 is a productive pattern in Chinese. You will often hear 累死 (lèisǐ - tired to death), 热死 (rèsǐ - hot to death), or 气死 (qìsǐ - angry to death). In all these cases, the 'death' part acts as an intensifier. However, 饿死 is unique because it is one of the most frequently used in social settings. It serves as a social cue to prompt a meal or to complain about a long meeting or a delayed flight. It is generally informal, though perfectly acceptable among friends, family, and colleagues. In a formal business dinner, you might opt for the more polite 我很饿 (wǒ hěn è) or 有些饥饿 (yǒuxiē jī'è), but in the breakroom, 饿死了 is the standard.

如果你不吃早饭，到中午肯定会饿死的。(Rúguǒ nǐ bù chī zǎofàn, dào zhōngwǔ kěndìng huì èsǐ de.) — If you don't eat breakfast, you will definitely be starving by noon.

From a historical perspective, the term does carry the weight of China's past famines. In literature or news reports about humanitarian crises, 饿死 is used literally to describe people dying from a lack of food. However, the linguistic evolution has allowed it to become a lighthearted exaggeration. When using it, pay attention to the tone. A whiny, elongated 'le' at the end (è sǐ le~~~) emphasizes the discomfort of hunger. It is often paired with physical gestures like rubbing the stomach or slumped shoulders. In the digital age, it's a common 'sticker' or emoji-related phrase in WeChat conversations when deciding where to order takeout.

Grammar Note: It functions as a resultative verb compound (RVC). The first part is the action/state, the second is the result.

别说了，再说我就要饿死了。(Bié shuō le, zài shuō wǒ jiù yào èsǐ le.) — Stop talking, if you keep talking I'm going to starve to death (figuratively).

Finally, consider the cultural importance of food in China. The common greeting '你吃了吗?' (Have you eaten?) shows how central food is to social harmony. To say you are 饿死 is to express a significant disruption in that harmony, which is why it usually prompts an immediate response from others, often in the form of offering snacks or suggesting a place to eat. It is a word that bridges the gap between physical sensation and social interaction.

Mastering the use of 饿死 (èsǐ) involves understanding its place within the broader framework of Chinese resultative complements. The most frequent pattern you will encounter is Subject + 饿死 + 了. The 了 (le) here indicates a change of state or a current realization of the condition. Without the 了, the phrase feels like a dictionary entry rather than a lived experience. Let's explore the various ways this can be expanded and modified to fit different conversational needs.

Standard Pattern: [Subject] + 饿死了。 (I am starving.)
Intensified Pattern: [Subject] + 快 + 饿死了。 (I am almost starving to death.)
Exaggerated Pattern: [Subject] + 简直 + 要饿死了。 (I am simply about to starve to death.)

我早上没吃饭，现在饿死了。(Wǒ zǎoshàng méi chīfàn, xiànzài èsǐ le.) — I didn't eat breakfast, now I'm starving.

One important grammatical nuance is that 饿死 cannot be preceded by degree adverbs like 很 (hěn - very) or 非常 (fēicháng - extremely). You cannot say *我很饿死. This is because 死 itself is already an absolute intensifier. It already represents the maximum degree. Instead, if you want to add emphasis, you use words like 简直 (jiǎnzhí - simply), 真的 (zhēn de - really), or 快要 (kuàiyào - about to). These words modify the likelihood or the immediacy of the state, rather than the 'amount' of starvation.

Another common usage is in the hypothetical or conditional sense. For example, 'If you don't give me food, I will starve.' In Chinese, this is 你不给我饭吃，我会饿死的 (Nǐ bù gěi wǒ fàn chī, wǒ huì èsǐ de). Here, the 会...的 structure indicates a prediction or a likely outcome. This is often used by children when pestering parents for snacks, or by friends teasing each other about being late for a dinner reservation.

这顿饭怎么还没好？孩子们都快饿死了。(Zhè dùn fàn zěnme hái méi hǎo? Háizimen dōu kuài èsǐ le.) — Why isn't this meal ready yet? The kids are all almost starving.

You might also see 饿死 used in a more active, transitive way, though it's less common in casual speech. For instance, 饿死害虫 (èsǐ hàichóng - to starve out pests). In this case, it's a verb meaning 'to cause to die of hunger'. This is a more literal and technical usage. For learners at the A2 level, focusing on the 饿死了 expression for personal feelings is the most practical path. It's a high-frequency phrase that immediately makes your Chinese sound more idiomatic and expressive.

Social Context: The Restaurant: When the waiter arrives: '快点上菜吧，我们要饿死了！' (Please bring the food quickly, we are starving!)

在那个荒岛上，他差点儿饿死。(Zài nàge huāngdǎo shàng, tā chàdiǎnr èsǐ.) — On that deserted island, he almost starved to death (Literal use).

Finally, remember that 饿死 is part of a family of 'extreme' words. Once you learn how to use 饿死, you can easily swap the first character to express other extremes. This versatility is one of the most rewarding aspects of learning Chinese resultative compounds. It allows you to express a wide range of intense emotions and physical states with a single, simple grammatical pattern.

If you spend a single day in a Chinese-speaking environment, you are almost guaranteed to hear 饿死 (èsǐ) or its variations. It is a staple of daily life, appearing in homes, offices, schools, and popular media. Its prevalence stems from the central role of food culture in China. People are constantly thinking about, preparing for, or consuming their next meal, and 饿死 is the dramatic announcement that the gap between meals has become too long.

In the Office: Around 11:30 AM, colleagues will start looking at their watches. One might sigh, '还没到午休吗？我都要饿死了' (Isn't it lunch break yet? I'm about to starve).
In TV Dramas (C-Dramas): Characters often use this phrase to show vulnerability or to complain to a love interest. A character might arrive home and say '饿死了，有什么吃的吗？' to prompt the other character to cook for them.

电影还没结束吗？我肚子都饿死了。(Diànyǐng hái méi jiéshù ma? Wǒ dùzi dōu èsǐ le.) — Isn't the movie over yet? My stomach is starving.

Social media is another place where 饿死 reigns supreme. On platforms like Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu) or Weibo, influencers posting food photos often use captions like '半夜看这些图，真的要饿死了' (Looking at these pictures at midnight, I'm really starving). It functions as a way to express 'food envy' or late-night cravings. The word has become a linguistic shorthand for 'that looks delicious and I want it now'.

In a family setting, the word is often used by parents and children. A mother might say to a child who is refusing to eat, '你不吃饭，想饿死吗？' (You won't eat, do you want to starve to death?). This is a rhetorical, slightly scolding use. Conversely, a child coming home from school will drop their bag and shout '妈，饿死了！' as a demand for snacks. It's a very visceral, emotive word that signals a basic human need in a way that 'I am hungry' simply cannot match.

外卖怎么还没到？我都快饿死了。(Wàimài zěnme hái méi dào? Wǒ dōu kuài èsǐ le.) — Why hasn't the delivery arrived? I'm almost starving.

Interestingly, you will also hear 饿死 in historical documentaries or news reports about global hunger. In these contexts, the tone is somber and the meaning is literal. The contrast between the casual 'starving' at a restaurant and the tragic 'starving' in a famine is a reminder of the word's power. As a learner, you should be sensitive to the environment. In a lighthearted setting, it's a joke; in a serious discussion about poverty, it's a tragedy.

Regional Variation: While '饿死' is universal, some Southern dialects might use different intensifiers, but '饿死了' remains the 'lingua franca' of hunger across China.

看到他在路边快要饿死的样子，我很心疼。(Kàndào tā zài lùbiān kuàiyào èsǐ de yàngzi, wǒ hěn xīnténg.) — Seeing him on the roadside looking like he was about to starve to death, my heart ached.

Ultimately, 饿死 is a word that lives in the gut. It's heard in the growl of a stomach before a late dinner, in the laughter of friends sharing a massive platter of food, and in the urgent calls of a busy society that revolves around the dinner table. To hear it is to understand the immediate, pressing nature of human appetite.

Learning to use 饿死 (èsǐ) correctly involves avoiding several common pitfalls that English speakers often fall into. Because the word has both a literal and a figurative meaning, and because it follows specific Chinese grammatical rules for resultative complements, it can be tricky for beginners. Here are the most frequent errors and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Adding 'Very' (很): Incorrect: *我很饿死了 (Wǒ hěn èsǐ le). Correct: 我饿死了 (Wǒ èsǐ le). Explanation: '死' is already an absolute intensifier. You can't be 'very starved to death'.
Mistake #2: Forgetting the '了' (le): Incorrect: *我饿死 (Wǒ èsǐ). Correct: 我饿死了 (Wǒ èsǐ le). Explanation: Without '了', the sentence feels like a static fact rather than a current state or a change in condition.

错误：我很饿死。(Incorrect: I am very starving.)
正确：我饿死了。(Correct: I am starving.)

Another common error is using 饿死 in overly formal situations. While it's not a 'bad' word, it is highly informal and hyperbolic. If you are at a formal banquet with high-ranking officials or elderly relatives you don't know well, saying 饿死了 might come across as slightly childish or lack of self-control. In these settings, it is better to use 我很饿 (wǒ hěn è) or simply wait for the food to be served without comment. Reserve 饿死 for your friends, peers, and close family.

A more subtle mistake involves the literal vs. figurative distinction. If you are talking about a serious news story about a famine, you should avoid using the '了' at the end if you are stating a general fact. For example, 每年有很多人饿死 (Měinián yǒu hěnduō rén èsǐ - Every year many people die of hunger). Adding 了 here would make it sound like they just finished starving to death right now, which is grammatically awkward in a general statement. Understanding that 了 anchors the word to the present moment is key.

错误：他经常饿死了。(Incorrect: He often starves to death - This makes no sense literally or figuratively.)
正确：他经常说他快要饿死了。(Correct: He often says he's about to starve.)

Finally, learners sometimes confuse 饿死 with 饥饿 (jī'è). 饥饿 is a formal noun/adjective meaning 'hunger' or 'hungry'. You would see 饥饿 in a textbook or a medical report. You would almost never hear someone say 我饥饿了 in a casual conversation. It sounds like a robot speaking. Conversely, don't use 饿死 in a scientific paper about the biology of nutrition. Keeping the register (formality level) correct is just as important as the grammar.

Summary of Mistakes: 1. Using '很'. 2. Omitting '了' in casual speech. 3. Using it in formal banquets. 4. Confusing it with '饥饿' in formal writing.

我们要饿死了，快点去吃饭吧！(Wǒmen yào èsǐ le, kuài diǎn qù chīfàn ba!) — We are starving, let's go eat quickly!

By paying attention to these nuances, you can use 饿死 with the confidence of a native speaker. It's a small word with a big impact, and getting it right will make your Chinese sound significantly more natural and 'alive'.

While 饿死 (èsǐ) is the go-to phrase for 'starving', Chinese offers a rich palette of alternatives depending on how hungry you are, who you are talking to, and how poetic you want to be. Understanding these synonyms will help you refine your expression and understand more complex texts. Let's look at the spectrum of 'hunger' words in Mandarin.

1. 饿 (è): The basic word for 'hungry'. Use this for mild hunger. '我有点饿' (I'm a bit hungry).
2. 饥饿 (jī'è): Formal and clinical. Used in news, science, and literature. '世界饥饿问题' (World hunger problem).
3. 饥肠辘辘 (jī cháng lù lù): A four-character idiom (chengyu). It literally describes the sound of a rumbling stomach. It's more descriptive and literary than '饿死'.

走了整整一天，他早已饥肠辘辘。(Zǒule zhěngzhěng yìtiān, tā zǎoyǐ jīchánglùlù.) — After walking the whole day, his stomach was already rumbling with hunger.

If you want to be even more dramatic than 饿死, you can use phrases like 饿得前胸贴后背 (è de qiánxiōng tiē hòubèi). This vivid idiom literally means 'so hungry that your chest is sticking to your back'. It's a great way to show off your intermediate or advanced Chinese skills. It's very visual and always gets a smile from native speakers because of its descriptive power.

For more polite or subtle situations, you might say 肚子空空的 (dùzi kōngkōng de), which means 'my stomach is empty'. This is often used by women or children to sound more 'cute' (kě'ài) or less aggressive than saying they are 'starving to death'. Another option is 没吃饭 (méi chīfàn), which literally means 'haven't eaten'. Sometimes stating the fact is more powerful than the exaggeration: '我从早上到现在都没吃饭' (I haven't eaten from morning until now).

我的肚子空空的，想找点零食吃。(Wǒ de dùzi kōngkōng de, xiǎng zhǎo diǎn língshí chī.) — My stomach is empty, I want to find some snacks to eat.

On the flip side, what if you are the one causing the hunger? You might use 虐待 (nüèdài - to mistreat/starve) in a joking way. '你这是要饿死我吗？' (Are you trying to starve me to death?) is a common playful complaint when a partner is taking too long to choose a restaurant. It uses the active form of 饿死 to create a humorous dynamic.

Comparison Table: - 饿: Basic, neutral.
- 饿死: Hyperbolic, common, casual.
- 饥肠辘辘: Idiomatic, descriptive.
- 饥饿: Formal, technical.

别再看美食节目了，越看越饿。(Bié zài kàn měishí jiémù le, yuè kàn yuè è.) — Stop watching food shows, the more you watch, the hungrier you get.

Choosing the right word shows your sensitivity to context. While 饿死 will cover 80% of your needs when you are hungry, having these other words in your back pocket will make your Chinese much more nuanced and interesting. Whether you are rumbling, empty, or dying of hunger, there's a perfect Chinese word for it.

How Formal Is It?

حقيقة ممتعة

In ancient Chinese, the character '饥' (jī) referred to a failure of the grain crop, while '饿' (è) referred to the actual sensation of hunger. Today, they are combined into '饥饿'.

دليل النطق

UK /ɜː siː/

US /ʊ sɪ/

The emphasis is usually on the first syllable 'è' to show the intensity of hunger.

يتقافى مع

乐死 (lè sǐ) 热死 (rè sǐ) 渴死 (kě sǐ) 累死 (lèi sǐ) 气死 (qì sǐ) 笑死 (xiào sǐ) 吓死 (xià sǐ) 困死 (kùn sǐ)

أخطاء شائعة

Pronouncing 'è' as 'ay'. It's more of a neutral 'uh' sound.
Forgetting the tones: è (4th tone) and sǐ (3rd tone).
Pronouncing 'sǐ' like 'see'. It should have a more 'z' or 's' buzzing quality in some dialects, but standard 's' is fine.
Ignoring the 'le' particle which usually follows it in speech.
Mixing up 'è' with 'é' (goose).

مستوى الصعوبة

القراءة 2/5

Easy to recognize the characters for hunger and death.

الكتابة 3/5

Writing '饿' (è) requires attention to the food radical.

التحدث 2/5

Very easy to say, but tones must be clear.

الاستماع 1/5

Very distinctive sound in conversation.

ماذا تتعلّم بعد ذلك

المتطلبات الأساسية

饿 (è) 死 (sǐ) 了 (le) 我 (wǒ) 饭 (fàn)

تعلّم لاحقاً

撑死 (chēng sǐ) 累死 (lèi sǐ) 渴死 (kě sǐ) 气死 (qì sǐ) 饥肠辘辘 (jī cháng lù lù)

متقدم

饥荒 (jī huāng) 粮食 (liáng shi) 营养 (yíng yǎng) 匮乏 (kuì fá)

قواعد يجب معرفتها

Resultative Complements (RVC)

饿 (action) + 死 (result) = 饿死

The particle '了' for change of state

我饿死了 (I have become starving).

Hyperbole with '死'

累死, 热死, 气死.

Adverbs of degree with RVCs

Cannot use '很' with '饿死', must use '简直' or '真的'.

The '快要...了' structure

快要饿死了 (About to starve).

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

أمثلة حسب المستوى

我饿死了。

I am starving.

Basic Subject + Adjective + 了 structure.

你饿死吗？

Are you starving?

Using '吗' for a simple question.

妈妈，我饿死了！

Mom, I'm starving!

Informal family address.

我们去吃饭吧，饿死了。

Let's go eat, starving.

Using '吧' for a suggestion.

他不饿死。

He is not starving.

Negation with '不'.

我也饿死了。

I am also starving.

Using '也' for 'also'.

现在饿死了。

Now I'm starving.

Time word '现在' at the beginning.

真的很饿死。

Really starving.

Using '真的' for emphasis.

我快要饿死了。

I am about to starve to death.

Using '快要...了' for 'about to'.

等了两个小时，饿死了。

Waited for two hours, starving.

Duration of time before the state.

因为没吃早饭，我现在饿死了。

Because I didn't eat breakfast, I'm starving now.

Using '因为' to show cause.

你饿死了吗？我们去买东西吃。

Are you starving? Let's go buy something to eat.

Compound sentence with a question and a suggestion.

别说话了，我都要饿死了。

Stop talking, I'm about to starve.

Using '都...了' for emphasis.

今天太忙了，简直饿死了。

Today was too busy, simply starving.

Using '简直' for 'simply/literally'.

如果再不来，我就饿死了。

If it doesn't come soon, I'll starve.

Conditional '如果...就...'.

这里的菜太少了，我还没吃饱，快饿死了。

There's too little food here, I'm not full, I'm starving.

Contrasting '没吃饱' with '饿死'.

那个流浪汉看起来快要饿死了。

That homeless man looks like he's about to starve to death.

Literal usage in a descriptive sentence.

要是没有这些干粮，我们非饿死不可。

If it weren't for these rations, we would definitely starve.

Using '非...不可' for 'must/inevitably'.

他宁愿饿死也不愿意乞讨。

He would rather starve to death than beg.

Using '宁愿...也不...' for preference.

在古代，很多人因为干旱而饿死。

In ancient times, many people starved to death due to drought.

Formal cause-and-effect with '因为...而...'.

别光顾着玩，小心饿死了。

Don't just play, be careful not to starve.

Using '小心' as a warning.

虽然他很饿，但还不至于饿死。

Although he is very hungry, it hasn't reached the point of starving to death.

Using '不至于' to mean 'not to the point of'.

我们要尽快把食物送过去，不然他们会饿死的。

We must send food over as soon as possible, otherwise they will starve.

Using '不然' for 'otherwise'.

这种小鱼如果不喂食，很快就会饿死。

If these small fish aren't fed, they will quickly starve to death.

Literal usage for animals.

在长达一个月的围城中，城里的居民差点儿都被饿死。

During the month-long siege, the residents of the city were almost all starved to death.

Passive-like structure with '被'.

他开玩笑说，要是再等十分钟，他就要饿死在餐厅门口了。

He joked that if he waited another ten minutes, he would starve to death at the restaurant entrance.

Indirect speech with '开玩笑说'.

这种害虫可以通过切断水源和食物来饿死它们。

These pests can be starved to death by cutting off their water and food sources.

Transitive use of '饿死'.

面对饥荒，政府采取了紧急措施以防更多人饿死。

In the face of famine, the government took emergency measures to prevent more people from starving.

Formal purpose clause with '以防'.

他那副饿死鬼投胎的样子，真让人受不了。

The way he eats as if he's a reincarnated starved ghost is truly unbearable.

Idiomatic expression '饿死鬼投胎'.

虽然生活艰辛，但他从未想过会让家人饿死。

Although life was hard, he never thought he would let his family starve.

Causative structure with '让'.

那个孤儿在寒冷的冬夜里，既冷又饿，差点饿死。

That orphan, in the cold winter night, was both cold and hungry, almost starving to death.

Parallel structure '既...又...'.

这种极端的节食方法，简直是在把自己往饿死的路上推。

This extreme dieting method is simply pushing oneself toward starvation.

Metaphorical use of '饿死'.

这部小说真实地记录了那个年代人们在极端贫困下饿死的惨状。

This novel realistically records the tragic situation of people starving to death under extreme poverty in that era.

Complex noun phrase '极端贫困下饿死的惨状'.

如果不及时进行人道主义援助，成千上万的难民将面临饿死的危险。

If humanitarian aid is not provided in time, thousands of refugees will face the danger of starving to death.

Future tense with '将' and formal phrase '面临...的危险'.

他这种宁肯饿死也不食嗟来之食的气节，令人佩服。

His integrity in preferring to starve than eat food handed out in contempt is admirable.

Classical idiom '不食嗟来之食' used with '饿死'.

在某些偏远地区，由于交通不便，一旦发生自然灾害，村民们就有饿死的可能。

In some remote areas, due to poor transportation, once a natural disaster occurs, villagers may starve to death.

Hypothetical scenario with '一旦...就...'.

他虽然在物质上并不匮乏，但在精神上却处于一种快要‘饿死’的状态。

Although he is not lacking in material things, spiritually he is in a state of 'starving'.

Metaphorical quotation marks around '饿死'.

历史不应被遗忘，那些在饥荒中饿死的灵魂需要被铭记。

History should not be forgotten; those souls who died of hunger in the famine need to be remembered.

Passive voice with '被' and emotional register.

这种生物在没有寄主的情况下，能在几天内饿死。

In the absence of a host, this organism can starve to death within a few days.

Scientific/Technical context.

他简直是个饿死鬼，每次聚餐都像是在抢劫食物。

He's simply a starved ghost; every time we have a group meal, it's like he's robbing the food.

Hyperbolic slang for emphasis.

在极端的生存压力下，生物的本能是避免饿死，而非追求繁衍。

Under extreme survival pressure, the biological instinct is to avoid starvation rather than pursue reproduction.

Formal philosophical/biological discourse.

文学作品中对‘饿死’的描写，往往折射出作者对社会分配不公的深层批判。

The depiction of 'starving to death' in literary works often reflects the author's deep critique of social injustice in distribution.

Abstract academic language.

倘若我们对这些弱势群体的困境视而不见，无异于在道德上将他们‘饿死’。

If we turn a blind eye to the plight of these vulnerable groups, it is equivalent to 'starving' them morally.

High-level rhetorical structure '倘若...无异于'.

在那个动荡的年代，饿死街头并不是什么新鲜事，而是残酷现实的一部分。

In those turbulent years, starving to death on the streets was not something new, but a part of the cruel reality.

Contrasting '不是...而是...'.

这种经营策略无异于涸泽而渔，最终只会让企业饿死在竞争的红海中。

This business strategy is equivalent to draining the pond to catch the fish, and will ultimately cause the company to starve in the red ocean of competition.

Business metaphor using an idiom (涸泽而渔).

尽管现代社会粮食充足，但隐性饥饿依然让许多人在营养上处于‘饿死’边缘。

Despite the abundance of food in modern society, hidden hunger still leaves many people on the brink of 'starvation' nutritionally.

Nuanced 'hidden hunger' (隐性饥饿) concept.

他笔下的饥民形象，不仅仅是饿死的躯壳，更是对人性尊严的拷问。

The image of starving people in his writing is not just a shell of someone starving to death, but a questioning of human dignity.

Double negation '不仅仅是...更是...'.

从演化博弈论的角度看，饿死个体有时是种群为了生存而不得不付出的代价。

From the perspective of evolutionary game theory, starving individuals is sometimes the price a population must pay for survival.

Highly technical academic jargon.

تلازمات شائعة

快饿死了

简直饿死

差点饿死

饿死鬼

饿死事小

就要饿死了

真要饿死

饿死在...

被饿死

宁愿饿死

العبارات الشائعة

饿死了

— I am starving. Used as an exclamation.

饿死了！晚饭还没好吗？

快要饿死了

— About to starve. Adds a sense of urgency.

开会开了三小时，我快要饿死了。

饿死我了

— You're starving me / I'm starving. Focuses on the self.

这长途车坐得饿死我了。

简直要饿死

— Simply about to starve. Very hyperbolic.

没吃午饭，现在简直要饿死。

饿死鬼投胎

— Eating like a starved ghost. Used to describe someone eating greedily.

看他那样子，真是饿死鬼投胎。

差点儿饿死

— Almost starved. Usually literal or very heavy exaggeration.

猫咪走丢了一个星期，回来时差点儿饿死。

你不饿死吗？

— Aren't you starving? Used when someone hasn't eaten for a long time.

你一天没吃东西，你不饿死吗？

想饿死我啊？

— Are you trying to starve me? A playful complaint.

怎么还不做饭，想饿死我啊？

饿死事极小

— Starving is a small matter. Part of an old moral saying.

古人说饿死事小，失节事大。

活活饿死

— To starve to death while alive/painfully. Always literal.

在那场灾难中，许多人被活活饿死。

يُخلط عادةً مع

饿死 vs 渴死 (kě sǐ)

Means 'starving for water' (thirsty to death). Don't mix up hunger and thirst!

饿死 vs 撑死 (chēng sǐ)

Means 'stuffed to death'. The opposite of 饿死.

饿死 vs 气死 (qì sǐ)

Means 'angry to death'. Sounds similar but a different emotion.

تعبيرات اصطلاحية

"饥不择食"

— When hungry, one does not choose what to eat. Used for being desperate.

他饿得饥不择食，连冷馒头都吃了。

Common

"饥肠辘辘"

— Stomach rumbling with hunger. Very descriptive.

半夜醒来，感到饥肠辘辘。

Literary

"忍饥挨饿"

— To endure hunger. Often used for historical suffering.

那时候，全家人都在忍饥挨饿。

Formal

"饥寒交迫"

— Suffering from both hunger and cold. Very tragic.

无家可归的人在冬夜里饥寒交迫。

Formal

"饿死事小，失节事大"

— To starve is a small matter, but to lose one's integrity is a great matter.

这句话反映了古代的封建道德观。

Archaic/Academic

"食不果腹"

— Not having enough food to fill the stomach.

在贫困山区，依然有人食不果腹。

Formal/Literary

"嗷嗷待哺"

— Crying piteously for food (like baby birds).

受灾群众正嗷嗷待哺，等待救援。

Literary

"饥民遍地"

— Starving people are everywhere. Used for famines.

战争导致了饥民遍地。

Formal

"画饼充饥"

— To draw a cake to satisfy hunger. To feed on illusions.

你这种计划只是画饼充饥，解决不了现实问题。

Metaphorical

"蚕食鲸吞"

— To nibble like a silkworm or swallow like a whale (related to consumption).

大公司正在蚕食鲸吞小企业的市场。

Business/Political

سهل الخلط

饿死 vs 饥饿

Both mean hungry.

饥饿 is formal and a noun/adjective; 饿死 is informal and a resultative verb phrase.

饥饿是全球性问题 vs 我饿死了。

饿死 vs 绝食

Both involve not eating.

绝食 is a deliberate choice (hunger strike); 饿死 is usually involuntary or a hyperbolic feeling.

他决定绝食抗议。

饿死 vs 贪吃

Both related to eating.

贪吃 is about liking food too much (greedy); 饿死 is about needing food desperately.

他很贪吃，每种零食都要买。

饿死 vs 挨饿

Both mean suffering from hunger.

挨饿 is the process of suffering; 饿死 is the result or the extreme state.

他在旧社会经常挨饿。

饿死 vs 馋

Both involve wanting food.

馋 (chán) is a craving for a specific taste; 饿 is a physical need for calories.

我不饿，但我有点馋火锅。

أنماط الجُمل

Subject + 饿死了。

我饿死了。

Subject + 快 + 饿死了。

他快饿死了。

Subject + 快要 + 饿死了。

我们快要饿死了。

因为...，(所以) Subject + 饿死了。

因为没吃饭，我饿死了。

Subject + 简直 + 饿死了。

我简直饿死了。

要是...，Subject + 就 + 饿死了。

要是再不吃，我就饿死了。

Subject + 宁愿饿死 + 也不 + Verb...

他宁愿饿死也不求人。

面临 + 饿死 + 的危险

难民面临饿死的危险。

عائلة الكلمة

الأسماء

饥饿 (Hunger)

饿死鬼 (Starved ghost/glutton)

الأفعال

饿 (To be hungry)

挨饿 (To suffer hunger)

绝食 (To hunger strike)

الصفات

饿 (Hungry)

饥饿的 (Hungry - formal)

مرتبط

吃饭 (Eat meal)

饱 (Full)

零食 (Snacks)

外卖 (Takeout)

餐厅 (Restaurant)

سجّل مجاناً لرؤية جميع الأمثلة

كيفية الاستخدام

frequency

Very High in daily spoken Mandarin.

أخطاء شائعة

我很饿死了。 → 我饿死了。
You cannot use 'very' with resultative complements that already imply a maximum degree.
我饿死。 → 我饿死了。
In most spoken contexts, 'le' is required to show the current state of hunger.
Using '饿死' in a funeral or hospital context. → Use '他没吃东西' or '他很虚弱'.
Because '死' means death, using the hyperbole in serious situations can be confusing or insensitive.
Mixing up '饿' (è) and '恶' (è). → 饿 (hungry) vs 恶 (evil/disgusting).
They have the same pinyin and tone, but the characters and meanings are totally different.
Writing '饿' without the 'food' radical. → 饿.
The '我' part is just for sound; the '饣' part gives the meaning.

نصائح

Don't use 'hěn'

Remember that '死' is already the maximum level. Adding 'hěn' (very) is a common beginner mistake.

Food is Love

In China, saying you're '饿死' often prompts people to offer you food. It's a social bonding tool.

Tones Matter

Make sure 'è' falls sharply. If you say 'é', people might think you are talking about a goose!

WeChat Stickers

Look for WeChat stickers with '饿死了'. They are very popular for suggesting lunch to colleagues.

Casual Only

Keep '饿死' for people you are comfortable with. It's high-energy and informal.

Learn the Family

Once you know '饿死', you also know '累死' (tired), '热死' (hot), and '渴死' (thirsty).

Fast Speech

Native speakers often blend 'è sǐ le' into one quick sound. Listen for the 'è' and 'le'.

Radical Recognition

The food radical (饣) is your clue for many words related to eating. Learn it well!

Try a Chengyu

If you want to sound more educated, try saying '饥肠辘辘' instead of '饿死了' once in a while.

The 'E' Sound

The 'è' sound is like a grunt of pain from hunger. Use that to remember it.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Think of the 'E' in '饿' as your 'Empty' stomach growling 'Ugh!'. And 'Si' sounds like 'Sick' because you feel sick from not eating. Ugh, I'm sick of being hungry, I'm starving!

ربط بصري

Imagine a person so hungry they are turning into a ghost (饿死鬼). They are floating towards a bowl of noodles.

Word Web

饿 (Hungry) 死 (Death) 饭 (Food) 渴 (Thirsty) 累 (Tired) 肚子 (Stomach) 快 (Quickly) 饱 (Full)

تحدٍّ

Try to use '饿死了' in a sentence today when you feel slightly hungry. Then try to use its opposite '撑死了' (chēng sǐ le) after you finish your meal.

أصل الكلمة

The character '饿' (è) consists of the 'food' radical (饣) and the phonetic component '我' (wǒ). It has meant hunger since ancient times. '死' (sǐ) is a pictograph of a person next to a bone, representing death. Combining them into a resultative compound is a standard feature of Middle and Modern Chinese.

المعنى الأصلي: To literally die from a lack of food.

Sino-Tibetan / Sinitic

السياق الثقافي

Be careful using this word around very elderly people who might have lived through actual famines; they might find the hyperbolic use slightly disrespectful or too flippant.

In English, we say 'I'm starving' even if we just missed breakfast. '饿死' is the exact cultural equivalent.

The Great Famine (1959-1961) where '饿死' was a tragic reality for millions. The idiom '饿死事小，失节事大' from Neo-Confucianism. Modern 'Mukbang' (eating shows) in China where hosts act like '饿死鬼'.

تدرّب في الحياة الواقعية

سياقات واقعية

At a restaurant

上菜快点，饿死了。
我们要饿死了，有点什么推荐吗？
等位要多久？我快饿死了。
饿死了，先给我一杯水。

In the office

什么时候开完会？我饿死了。
我们去点外卖吧，饿死了。
你还没去吃饭？不饿死吗？
饿死了，我先去吃个零食。

At home

妈，饭好了吗？饿死了。
冰箱里没东西，我要饿死了。
别玩电脑了，快去吃饭，别饿死了。
饿死了，我们今晚吃火锅吧。

With friends

你迟到了，我快饿死了。
饿死了，快走吧。
看那家店，好香啊，饿死了。
别再挑了，随便吃点吧，饿死了。

Historical/News

那里的人正面临饿死的威胁。
历史上有很多人被饿死。
救灾物资能防止人们饿死。
他差点饿死在荒野。

بدايات محادثة

"你现在饿不饿？我都要饿死了。"

"我们去吃那家新开的餐厅吧，我快饿死了。"

"你今天早饭吃了吗？我没吃，现在饿死了。"

"会议还没结束，你不饿死吗？"

"饿死了，你觉得我们点什么外卖好？"

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

描述一次你特别饿的经历，你当时是怎么说的？

如果你被困在荒岛上，你会担心饿死吗？你会怎么找食物？

在中国文化中，为什么人们经常用‘饿死’来开玩笑？

写一段对话，关于两个人在等一个迟到的朋友，他们都快饿死了。

比较‘饿’和‘饿死’在不同场合的使用方法。

الأسئلة الشائعة

10 أسئلة

No. You cannot use '很' (hěn) with '饿死' because '死' (sǐ) is already an absolute intensifier. It would be like saying 'I am very dead.' Instead, say '我饿死了' or '我简直饿死了'.

It's not rude, but it is very informal. Using it with friends is fine. Using it with your boss or at a formal wedding might make you seem a bit dramatic or immature.

99% of the time in daily life, no. It just means 'I'm very hungry.' It's only literal in news, history, or scientific contexts.

'饿' is just 'hungry'. '饿死' is 'starving'. It's a difference of intensity.

The '了' indicates a change of state. It means 'I have reached the point of being starving' or 'I am in this state now'.

Yes. '我的猫快饿死了' means 'My cat is starving.' It can be literal or hyperbolic for pets too.

A more polite but still strong way is to say '我非常饿' (wǒ fēicháng è) or '我肚子很饿' (wǒ dùzi hěn è).

It literally means 'starved ghost'. It's a slang term for someone who eats very greedily or quickly.

It has the food radical on the left (饣) and the character for 'I' (我) on the right. Think: 'I want food!'

Yes, it is used all over China. While some dialects have their own slang, '饿死了' is understood and used everywhere.

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