飢え

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The written form is 飢え, read うえ. This noun denotes the state of lacking food and extends figuratively to an intense desire.
• Basic usage: 飢えに苦しむ describes suffering caused by literal food shortage, while 知識への飢え is a metaphor for a powerful desire for knowledge.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Literal hunger
  • The direct sense is many people suffering without enough food during a long drought. Example: 長い干ばつで多くの人が飢えに苦しむ物語だ。 — The story tells of many people suffering hunger during a long drought.
• Hunger for knowledge
  • Knowledge of the unknown replaces food as the object of a metaphorical hunger that drives someone toward research. Example: 未知の知識への飢えが彼を研究へ向かわせた。 — His hunger for knowledge of the unknown drove him toward research.