饥肠辘辘

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jī cháng lù lù
• English Translation: Stomach growling with hunger (famished)
• Idiom Composition: 「饥」（To be hungry or starving.）＋「肠」（Intestines or stomach.）＋「辘辘」（An onomatopoeia for the sound of wheels rolling, used here to mimic the rumbling sound of an empty stomach.）
• Meaning: A state where one is so hungry that their stomach or intestines are making a rumbling sound. It literally describes the 'growling' of the stomach to emphasize extreme hunger.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「饥肠辘辘」 contains the following nuances:

• Auditory Imagery: The term 辘辘 (lù lù) originally describes the sound of carriage wheels rolling, but here it serves as a vivid metaphor for the internal rumbling sounds of hunger.
• Physical Sensation: This idiom specifically refers to the physical sensation of needing food rather than a metaphorical 'hunger' (such as a hunger for knowledge or power).

3. Usage

「饥肠辘辘」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Daily Conversation: Frequently used when a mealtime has been missed or after intense physical activity when one feels a strong sensation of hunger.
  • Example:「忙了一整天没顾上吃饭，现在我已经饥肠辘辘了。」
    （I've been busy all day and didn't have time to eat; now I am famished.）
• Narrative Descriptions: Used in stories or articles to describe characters suffering from food shortages or enduring hunger during long journeys.
  • Example:「难民们长途跋涉，个个面黄肌瘦，饥肠辘辘。」
    （The refugees had traveled a long distance; everyone looked haggard and thin, their stomachs growling with hunger.）

Additional Examples:

1. 闻到厨房飘来的香味，原本就饥肠辘辘的他更受不了了。
   （Smelling the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, he became even more unable to bear his already starving state.）
2. 虽然大家早已饥肠辘辘，但为了完成任务，谁也没有停下来。
   （Although everyone's stomachs had been rumbling for a long time, no one stopped working in order to complete the task.）
3. 回到家时早已饥肠辘辘，我一口气吃了两大碗饭。
   （By the time I got home, I was famished, and I ate two large bowls of rice in one go.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The expression is believed to have evolved from 枵肠辘辘 (xiāo cháng lù lù) found in the story 'The Lord of West Lake' (西湖主) within the Qing Dynasty collection Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (聊斋志异). The character 枵 (xiāo) means 'empty'.
• Chinese linguistic culture often uses reduplicated sounds (叠音词) like 辘辘 (lù lù) to create vivid imagery. This idiom is a classic example of focusing on the 'sound' of a physical state to convey its intensity to the reader.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 饥不择食 (jī bù zé shí): Literally 'hunger finds no fault with the cook'; being so hungry that one does not discriminate about what they eat.
  • 食不果腹 (shí bù guǒ fù): Not having enough food to fill the stomach; used to describe living in extreme poverty.
  • 忍饥挨饿 (rěn jī ái è): To endure hunger and starvation.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 酒足饭饱 (jiǔ zú fàn bǎo): To have eaten and drunk to one's heart's content; fully satisfied after a meal.
  • 丰衣足食 (fēng yī zú shí): Having ample food and clothing; living a life of abundance and material comfort.

6. Summary

饥肠辘辘 (jī cháng lù lù) describes the sound of a stomach growling due to hunger. While the English word 'hungry' is general, this idiom emphasizes being **famished** or **starving** to the point of audible rumbling. It is a common expression used in both daily conversation and literature.