渴 (kě) means "thirsty" with HSK 3 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: thirsty
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
渴 has no oracle bone form. It is a phono-semantic compound with 氵 (water) as the semantic radical and 曷 (hé) as the phonetic. 曷 originally meant 'how' or 'why' in classical Chinese and is itself built from 曰 (speak) over 匃 (beg), giving a sense of asking or craving that fits the meaning 'thirsty.'
Form evolution
The character appears in seal script with 氵 on the left and a clear 曷 on the right. Clerical script simplified the curves of 曷 into straight strokes but kept all its components, and the character has been written the same way in standard script ever since. Simplified and traditional forms are identical.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest meaning was the physical sensation of thirst, and this has remained the primary sense. It extended naturally to figurative craving, giving the common modern word 渴望 (to yearn for, literally 'thirst-hope'). The phonetic 曷 is worth noting because it also appears in 喝 (drink) and 歇 (rest), three characters a learner meets early and often confuses.
Cultural note
The idiom 临渴掘井 (to dig a well only when thirsty) means to act too late, and is a standard warning against poor planning. Learners frequently mix up 渴 (thirsty) and 喝 (drink): both share 曷 but the one with water on the side is the feeling, and the one with mouth 口 on the side is the action.
Basic info
Example sentences
我渴了。
Wǒ kě le.
I'm thirsty.
From 渴 (HSK 3)
Words containing 渴
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 渴 | kě | thirsty | HSK 3 |
On the new HSK 3 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.