Definition
觊觎 is a formal, literary verb meaning 'to covet' or 'to eye greedily' — it describes a strong desire for something that does not rightfully belong to you, usually with an underhanded or unethical implication. You'll mostly encounter it in written Chinese (news, literature, legal texts) rather than everyday conversation; colloquial alternatives include 想要 or 贪图.
v.
(formal, derogatory) to covetto eye greedily (something one is not entitled to)
Examples
- 觊觎。Tā yìzhí jì yú nà ge jīnglǐ de wèizhi.He has always coveted that manager position.
- 觊觎。Lín guó jì yú zhège dìqū de zīyuán yǐ yǒu duō nián.The neighboring country has coveted the resources of this region for years.
- 觊觎。jì yú tārén de cáichǎn zhōngjiū bú huì yǒu hǎo jiéguǒ.Coveting another's property will not end well in the end.
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