hunger

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 飢 denotes hunger or an intense longing; its on-reading is き, and its kun-reading is うえる.
• Basic usage: 飢える can describe literal starvation or figurative hunger, while 飢餓 refers to severe starvation or famine.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 飢える / 飢餓
  • 飢える: This verb can describe lacking food or figuratively hungering for something such as knowledge. Example: 彼は幼い頃から新しい知識に飢えていた。
  • 飢餓: This noun refers to severe starvation or famine rather than an ordinary feeling of hunger. Example: 架空の村が飢餓を乗り越える物語を読んだ。