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欲望 (yù wàng) — desire, longing, craving

Definition

欲望 (yùwàng) is a strong, often uncontrolled desire — typically for money, power, or physical pleasures. Stronger and more base than the everyday 愿望 (a personal wish) or 心愿 (a cherished dream).

noun
desirelongingcraving

Examples

  • 欲望。
    Tā bù néng kòng zhì zì jǐ de yù wàng.
    He can't control his own desires.
  • 欲望。
    Duì qián de yù wàng ràng tā hěn tòng kǔ.
    The desire for money makes him very miserable.
  • 欲望。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu bù tóng de yù wàng.
    Everyone has different desires.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

欲yùdesire
望wànghope

欲 means desire and 望 means hope; together they form a strong craving or longing.

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
欠欠qiàn
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.

Open 欲 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & Feelings5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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