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JLPT N217画 · 17 strokesradical 水freq #4500

thirsty, dry out

On'yomi (音読み)

  • カツ
  • カツン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • かわ.く

Mnemonic

As I stand by the water, begging for relief from the scorching sun, my throat feels as dry as a desert, making me painfully aware of my thirst.

About this kanji

The kanji 渇 (katsu) primarily means "thirsty" or "to dry out." It is mainly used as a noun. You'll often see it in compounds like 乾渇 (かんかつ, kankatsu), which means "thirst"; 渇望 (かつぼう, katsubou), meaning "longing" or a strong desire; and 枯渇 (こかつ, kokatsu), which translates to "depletion" or the state of running dry. These compounds demonstrate how the concept of thirst or dryness can extend into emotional or resource-related contexts. A useful note is that while 渇 primarily relates to a physical state, it can also evoke deeper feelings, such as a thirst for knowledge or experiences.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 水が渇いて、とても喉が渇いた。

    I am thirsty because I am out of water.

Meanings across languages

English
thirsty, dry out
Tiếng Việt
khát, khô cạn
日本語
渇く, 枯渇
한국어
목마른, 건조하다
中文
口渴, 干涸
id
haus, kering
th
กระหายน้ำ, แห้ง
es
sediento, secarse
fr
assoiffé, desséché
de
durstig, austrocknen
pt
sedento, secar

Common compounds

  • 乾渇かんかつthirst, dryness
  • 渇望かつぼうlonging, desire
  • 枯渇こかつdepletion, exhaustion

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