情欲 (qíng yù) — lust; sexual passion | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

情欲 is 'lust' — a strong, often literary term for sexual desire as a facet of human nature, more intense and formal than everyday words like 欲望. Common in writing about psychology, literature, or morality.

noun

lustsexual passion

Examples

情欲。
Tā wú fǎ kòng zhì zì jǐ de qíng yù.
He couldn't control his own lust.
情欲。
Zhè bù xiǎo shuō miáo xiě le rén xìng de qíng yù yǔ zhēng zhá.
This novel depicts the lust and struggle of human nature.
情欲，。
qíng yù Shì rén de běn xìng zhī yī, dàn xū yào lǐ xìng yuē shù.
Lust is one of human nature's aspects, but it needs rational restraint.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

情qíngpassion

欲yùdesire

情 means passion or feeling, and 欲 means desire, so the word means strong sexual desire.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng情qíng

Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

谷欠欲

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

谷

谷gǔ欲yù

Same sound today

欲 is made of 谷, which supplies the sound, and 欠, which relates to the meaning.

Appears in

Emotions & Feelings

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