渴望
kě wàng · HSK 5
to long for
💧 渴 = thirsty + 望 = to gaze/hope; thirsty hope
渴 means thirsty (water radical 氵 + 曷), and 望 means to gaze toward or hope for. Together they form a thirst-level longing — wanting something the way a parched throat wants water.
渴 — water radical 氵 + 曷 (phonetic)
渴 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 氵 (water) radical hints at the meaning—being dry or lacking water—while 曷 supplies the sound. Originally tied to thirst and dryness, it now broadly means 'thirsty' and, by extension, 'to crave' or 'eagerly desire'.
望 — 亡 (phonetic) + 月 moon + 王 king/standing figure
Originally a pictograph of a person standing on tiptoe gazing at the moon, expressing the idea of looking far into the distance. Over time the figure was reshaped and 亡 was added as a phonetic element. The meaning extended from 'gaze afar' to 'hope for' or 'expect.'