Meaning
Desire, want, craving — often used in emotional or psychological expressions of wanting something.
- 欲 — desire, greed
- 欲しい — to want (something)
- 欲する — to desire, to crave
- 食欲 — appetite
- 性欲 — sexual desire
- 物欲 — material greed
- 無欲 — without desire, selfless
The 欲 character combines ⻖ (valley) and 欠 (yawn/lack), suggesting a deep, unfulfilled need — a craving or desire. Common in both daily expressions like “欲しい” and compound nouns indicating psychological or physical urges.
お金が 欲しいです。
I want money.
彼は 成功を 欲している。
He desires success.
食欲がありません。
I have no appetite.
On-yomi: ヨク is used in compounds like 食欲 or 愛欲. Kun-yomi: ほしい (to want something) and ほっする (to desire) are both in common usage.