starvation; dying of hunger
Refers to the state of starving or dying from lack of food. Often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
In the past, many people died of starvation.
The survivors were on the verge of starvation.
Standard kanji spelling for 'starvation'.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.
Compound of 干 (hi, 'to dry up') and 乾し (hoshi, 'drying'), literally 'drying up', metaphorically extended to mean starvation.