渇いた

• Reading: かわいた
• Romaji: kawaita
• Kanji breakdown: 渇 (katsu/kawa) — thirst, dry up, parch; いた — attributive past suffix
• Pronunciation: /ka.wa.i.ta/

Meaning

Dry; parched; thirsty. Describes a state of intense dryness or thirst — physical or metaphorical — where moisture or fulfilment is urgently absent.

The attributive past form of 渇く (to become thirsty/parched), used as an adjective. Note that 乾いた (also かわいた) refers to general dryness, while 渇いた specifically implies thirst or the urgent need to relieve dryness. Used literally of the throat and body, and metaphorically of emotional longing or spiritual yearning.

Examples

1. 砂漠を歩いた後、渇いた喉をようやく潤した。 After walking through the desert, I finally quenched my parched throat.
2. 人の心の渇いた部分を満たしてくれる音楽がある。 There is music that fills the parched, empty corners of a person's heart.
3. 渇いた大地に雨が降り始め、草木が息を吹き返した。 Rain began to fall on the parched earth, and plants breathed back to life.

Usage Guide

Context: physical sensation, metaphor, nature

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Attributive form of 渇く, a classical Japanese verb describing the state of thirst or parching. The kanji 渇 combines the water radical (氵) with a component suggesting exhaustion, depicting the desperate absence of water.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal