欲望
よくぼう · yokubou · JLPT N1 · noun
desire
🍽️ 欲 desire + 望 longing = a craving for what you lack
欲 means desire or appetite, and 望 means hope or longing. Together they name the strong pull toward something you do not yet have.
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.'