渴

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thirsty

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Formation & memory

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Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

氵 meaning “water” + 曷 sound ( hé )

Components 氵曷

thirsty · Heisig RSH #852

水 water + siesta

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
远水不解近渴	yuǎn shuǐ bù jiě jìn kě	lit. distant water does not cure present thirst; fig. urgent need; a slow remedy does not …
渴不可耐	kě bù kě nài	to be so thirsty as to no longer be able to tolerate it
爱才若渴	ài cái ruò kě	(idiom) to be eager to surround oneself with talented people
临渴穿井	lín kě chuān jǐng	lit. face thirst and dig a well (idiom); fig. not to make adequate provision; to act when …
望梅止渴	wàng méi zhǐ kě	lit. to quench one's thirst by thinking of plums (idiom); fig. to console oneself with ill…
口渴	kǒu kě	thirsty
求贤若渴	qiú xián ruò kě	(idiom) to eagerly seek talented people
干渴	gān kě	parched; dry mouth
解渴	jiě kě	to quench
渴望	kě wàng	to thirst for; to long for
消渴	xiāo kě	condition characterized by thirst, hunger, frequent urination and weight loss, identified …
渴求	kě qiú	to long for; to crave for; to greatly desire
临渴掘井	lín kě jué jǐng	lit. not to dig a well until one is thirsty; to be unprepared and seek help at the last mi…
如饥似渴	rú jī sì kě	to hunger for sth (idiom); eagerly; to long for sth
渴慕	kě mù	to thirst for
饥渴	jī kě	hungry and thirsty; (fig.) to crave (knowledge, love etc)
饮鸩止渴	yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě	lit. drinking poison in the hope of quenching one's thirst (idiom); fig. a supposed remedy…

Characters sharing the sound component 曷 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
曷 sound part	hé	what, why, where, which, how
褐	hè	coarse wool; dull, brown
喝	hē	to drink; to shout, to call out
揭	jiē	to lift off a cover; to reveal, to divulge; surname
葛	gé	an edible bean; vine; surname
歇	xiē	to stop, to rest, to lodge
竭	jié	to exhaust; to put forth great effort
羯	jié	wether, castrated ram; deer skin
谒	yè	to visit, to pay respects
蝎	xiē	scorpion
遏	è	to curb, to check, to stop, to suppress
猲	hè	frightened, terrified; snub-nosed dog
碣	jié	stone tablet