很饿
hěn è
The English phrase 'very hungry' is translated into Chinese as 很饿 (hěn è).
The phrase is used to describe a strong feeling of needing to eat food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 很 (hěn), meaning 'very' and 饿 (è), meaning 'hungry'.
Which one should you use?
While 很饿 (hěn è) means 'very hungry', the colloquial expression 饿死了 (è sǐ le) is used to express being 'starving' or 'extremely hungry' in a hyperbolic way.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the phrase into a question, such as 'Are (you/they) very hungry?', add the question particle 吗 (ma) at the end to create 很饿吗？
How do you pronounce it?
hěn è
Did you know?
- While 很 (hěn) translates to 'very', it is often used as a grammatical filler in simple sentences where it carries no actual intensity, meaning 很饿 might just mean 'hungry'.
- The hyperbolic phrase 饿死了 (è sǐ le) literally means 'starved to death', a common pattern in Chinese where 死了 is added to many adjectives to create an extreme version.
- In some contexts, feeling 'very hungry' is linked to the phrase 饿得慌 (è de huāng), where 慌 suggests a sense of restlessness or anxiety caused by the hunger.
Examples in context
- 汤姆和玛丽很饿。Tom and Mary are very hungry.This sentence demonstrates the use of 很饿 with subjects Tom and Mary.Tatoeba #5571924 by verdastelo9604, translation #1422745 by Spamster
- 因为我不是很饿，所以我决定晚点吃。I wasn't very hungry, so I decided to eat later.This sentence shows how to use the phrase in a negative context with 很饿.Tatoeba #8508413 by maxine, translation #2537721 by CK
- 我很饿。I was very hungry.This sentence shows how to use the phrase with the subject 'I'.Tatoeba #7768272 by jiangche, translation #37858 by CK
- 我饿得站不稳了。(Wǒ è de zhàn bù wěn le.)I'm so hungry I can't stand properly.
- 她很久没吃东西了，已经非常饥饿了。(Tā hěn jiǔ méi chī dōngxi le, yǐjīng fēicháng jī'è le.)She hasn't eaten anything for a long time and is extremely hungry now.
- 我饿死了，你们要不要一起去吃饭？(Wǒ è sǐ le, nǐmen yào bùyào yīqǐ qù chīfàn?)I'm starving, do you want to go eat together?
- 超级饿，我现在只想吃点东西。(Chāojí è, wǒ xiànzài zhǐ xiǎng chī diǎn dōngxi.)I'm really hungry, I just want to eat something right now.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a restaurant during lunch time.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们快点点菜吧，我真的很饿。Wǒmen kuài diǎn cài ba, wǒ zhēn de hěn è.Let's order food quickly, I am very hungry.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也很饿，你想吃什么？Wǒ yě hěn è, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?I am also very hungry, what do you want to eat?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我想吃面条。Wǒ xiǎng chī miàntiáo.I want to eat noodles.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好，那就点面条吧。Hǎo, nà jiù diǎn miàntiáo ba.Okay, let's order the noodles then.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
