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How to say 'Desire' in Japanese | 欲

Wondering how to say 'Desire' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Desire is 'Yoku', written as 欲 in Japanese.'Desire' in hiragana is よく.

    word

    Meaning

    Desire

    Reading

    よく

    yoku

    Kanji

    Desire, Longing

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '欲 (よく)' means 'desire'. It refers to a strong feeling of wanting something, whether it be material possessions, achievements, or abstract goals. This word is often used in contexts related to human nature, psychology, or philosophy. For example: His desire for success is strong「彼の成功への欲は強い」(かれのせいこうへのよくはつよい). Desire can lead to suffering「欲は苦しみを招くことがある」(よくはくるしみをまねくことがある). The word can also appear in compounds, such as '欲望 (よくぼう)' (desire, craving) or '食欲 (しょくよく)' (appetite).

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    6

    Frequency

    6735

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Desire, Longing

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 7 Words contain the Kanji 欲 as well.

  • word

    欲しい

    Meaning

    Want

  • word

    欲しがる

    Meaning

    Want

  • word

    意欲

    Meaning

    Motivation

  • word

    欲望

    Meaning

    Desire

  • word

    食欲

    Meaning

    Appetite

  • word

    欲求

    Meaning

    Demand, Desire

  • word

    欲張り

    Meaning

    Greedy

Learn the Word

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Yoku' (欲) mean?

'Yoku' means 'Desire' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.