English Dictionary

hunger stone

IPA（発音記号）

/ˈhʌŋɡə ˌstəʊn/

名詞

A stone, either naturally exposed or intentionally embedded in a river during a drought, which is dated and often inscribed to mark the water level as a warning to future generations that they may face famine if the water reaches that low level again. Such stones are common in Central Europe.

日本語の意味

干ばつ時に川の中に現れ、水位の低下を示すために記念日や刻印がされた石。未来世代に水位下落と飢饉の可能性を警告する目的で、自然に露出するか、意図的に設置されることがある。 / 中央ヨーロッパなどで見られる、干ばつ時に水位が低くなると現れる石で、水位の記録や警告として利用される。

During the drought, the river exposed the centuries-old hunger stone, its carved dates warning future generations about the famine that followed such low water.

干ばつの間、川は何世紀も前の飢饉を示す石を露出させ、その刻まれた年号は水位がそれほど下がれば飢饉が起きると将来の世代に警告した。

意味（1）

A stone, either naturally exposed or intentionally embedded in a river during a drought, which is dated and often inscribed to mark the water level as a warning to future generations that they may face famine if the water reaches that low level again. Such stones are common in Central Europe.

If there were a hunger stone in the Fox river like the one in the Elbe, it would now be showing its unwelcome face above the waters—which is equivalent to saying that the water level, and power correspondingly, is very low indeed.

hunger stones （ plural ）