Starving
STAR-ving /ˈstɑːvɪŋ/
Informal Neutral
What it really means
Very hungry. British people say "I'm starving" all the time — it is an exaggeration, not real starvation. "Hank Marvin" is a jokey rhyming version you may hear.
Chinese explanation
饿极了。英国人整天说 I'm starving，只是夸张的说法，不是真的挨饿。有时还会听到押韵俚语 Hank Marvin（= starving）的玩笑说法。
Example conversation
A: Shall we get food after this lecture?
B: Yes please, I'm absolutely starving.
A：这节课下了去吃东西吗？
B：太好了，我快饿死了。
All British Slang
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake