Translation and Meaning of: 飢える - ueru

If you've ever wondered how to say "to be hungry" in Japanese, the answer lies in the verb 飢える (うえる, ueru). This word carries emotional and historical weight, as hunger has been a cruel reality in various periods of Japan. In this article, you will discover the etymology, the pictogram behind the kanji, and how this expression is used in everyday life. Additionally, if you use Anki or another spaced repetition system, you will find practical examples to boost your studies.

The kanji 飢 (ki) in itself already evokes the idea of scarcity, and when combined with the verb える, it forms an expression that goes beyond the lack of physical food—it can symbolize emotional or spiritual deprivation. Do the Japanese use this word in their daily lives? How does it appear in mangas, dramas, or news? Let's unravel all of this below.

Etymology and Pictogram: The Kanji That Tells a Story

The kanji 飢 is composed of two radicals: the left side, 食 (shoku), represents "food," while the right side, 几 (ki), suggests something "scarce" or "precarious." Together, they paint the picture of an empty plate—a direct visual representation of hunger. It's no wonder that this character also appears in words like 飢餓 (kiga), which means "widespread hunger," often used in humanitarian contexts.

Interestingly, the verb うえる (oueru) is not limited to the lack of food. In Japanese literature, it is common to find phrases like 愛に飢える (ai ni ueru), translated as "starving for love." This semantic flexibility shows how the Japanese language borrows concrete terms to express abstractions. Those who have read Les Misérables in the Japanese version must have encountered this kanji describing Jean Valjean's misery.

Everyday Lies: From the Kitchen to Dramas

Unlike Portuguese, where "to starve" sounds extreme, the Japanese use 飢える in everyday situations with some caution. You will hardly hear someone say お腹が飢えた (onaka ga ueta) at lunch—in that case, they choose お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita), which is more neutral. But turn on the news about economic crises or reports on wartime countries, and there it is, 飢餓 (kiga) emblazoned in the headlines.

In anime and manga, the term gains dramatic weight. Remember the classic scene in Naruto, where the protagonist grew up without having anything to eat? Well, there the verb 飢える would fit perfectly. And there’s a cultural detail: in feudal Japan, periods of scarcity were called 飢饉 (kikin), a word that today only appears in history books or in alerts about climate change.

Tips for Memorizing and Common Mistakes

A trap for beginners is to confuse 飢える with 餓える (ueru), which also means "to be hungry" but carries a more intense tone, almost of starvation. The tip is to remember that the kanji 餓 has the radical 我 (ga), which refers to "ego"—as if hunger consumes even identity. To remember 飢, associate the radical 食 with those scenes of empty restaurants post-pandemic.

Want a practical tip? Create flashcards with images of empty dishes next to the kanji 飢. Or use the phrase 「夢に飢える芸術家」 (yume ni ueru geijutsuka)—"artist hungry for dreams"—to memorize the metaphorical usage. It worked for me when I was studying for the JLPT N2! And if you like music, the band RADWIMPS has a lyric that says 「言葉に飢えた時代」 (kotoba ni ueta jidai), a great example to note down.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

渇く (kawaita) - Thirst感
空腹になる (kuuhuku ni naru) - Ficar faminto
飢えた (ueta) - Estar faminto
絶食する (zesshoku suru) - Jejuar
飢えを凌ぐ (ue wo shinogu) - Satisfy hunger / Relieve hunger
飢えをしのぐ (ue wo shinogu) - Satisfy hunger / Alleviate hunger (more common in an urgent context)