慾

Compound character:

欲 (to desire, to wish) – base meaning “want, desire”

心 (heart, mind) – semantic reinforcement of the inner mental/emotional aspect

Formed to emphasize the psychological side of 欲, highlighting excessive desire or greed of the heart.

Derived as an emphatic form of 欲, with special focus on “greedy or excessive” desire.

慾心 (욕심) – greed, covetous heart

性慾 (성욕) – sexual desire

食慾 (식욕) – appetite

物慾 (물욕) – material desire, greed for possessions

慾望 (욕망) – ambition, longing

In many modern contexts, 欲 and 慾 overlap in meaning; however, 慾 is often reserved for compounds emphasizing lust, greed, or selfish craving.

In Buddhist and philosophical texts, 慾 typically refers to the base worldly desires (특히 五慾 – five desires: wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep), contrasted with spiritual detachment.