yùwàng: 欲望 - Desire, Craving, Lust

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• Summary: 欲望 (yùwàng) is a powerful Chinese word that translates to “desire,” “craving,” or “lust.” It goes beyond a simple wish, referring to a deep, often primal or material longing for things like power, wealth, or physical pleasure. Understanding 欲望 is key to grasping major themes in Chinese philosophy, as controlling this type of desire is a central concept in Buddhism and Daoism. This page explores the meaning of yùwàng, its cultural significance, and how to use it correctly in modern Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yùwàng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: A strong, often intense desire, craving, longing, or lust.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 欲望 (yùwàng) not as a simple “want” like “I want an ice cream,” but as a fundamental, driving force. It’s the “appetite” or “hunger” a person has for something, whether it's knowledge (求知欲 - qiúzhīyù), power (权力欲 - quánlìyù), or material possessions. It often carries a slightly negative or cautionary tone, implying a force that can be dangerous if left unchecked.

• 欲 (yù): This character suggests a deep need or longing. It's composed of 谷 (gǔ), meaning “valley,” and 欠 (qiàn), meaning “to lack” or “yawn.” Together, they create a picture of a deep emptiness (a valley of lack) that needs to be filled. This perfectly captures the feeling of inner craving.
• 望 (wàng): This character means “to gaze,” “to hope for,” or “to look toward.” The ancient form depicted a person (壬) with a large eye (目) looking into the distance, often from a high place. It represents looking forward to something you don't yet have.
• The characters combine to form a vivid concept: 欲望 (yùwàng) is the powerful internal feeling of lacking something (欲) while gazing upon and hoping for it in the distance (望).

In Chinese culture, 欲望 (yùwàng) is a profoundly important and often cautionary concept, deeply rooted in philosophy.

• Buddhist and Daoist Influence: Both philosophies teach that excessive desire is the primary source of human suffering (苦, kǔ). The endless cycle of craving, obtaining, and craving again is seen as a trap. The ideal is to reduce or eliminate 欲望 to achieve inner peace, balance, and enlightenment. This is a stark contrast to the common Western idea that fulfilling desires leads to happiness.
• Comparison to Western “Ambition”: In American culture, “ambition” and the “pursuit of happiness” are often celebrated as virtues. They are seen as driving forces for innovation and success. While Chinese culture also values hard work and achievement, the term 欲望 often carries the shadow of potential greed and moral compromise. A person with “strong desires” (欲望很强) might be seen as dangerous or selfish, whereas an “ambitious” person in the West is often admired. The Chinese term for ambition, 野心 (yěxīn), literally means “wild heart” and also frequently carries a negative connotation.
• Social Harmony: From a Confucian perspective, individual desires must be moderated and channeled to serve the greater good of the family and society. Uncontrolled 欲望 is a threat to social order and harmony, one of the most important values in Chinese culture.

欲望 (yùwàng) is a formal and strong word. You will encounter it in writing, philosophical discussions, news reports, and serious conversations, but rarely in casual, everyday chat.

• Negative Connotations (Most Common): It is most often used to describe potentially destructive cravings.
  • Desire for Power/Money: 他对权力的欲望永无止境。(Tā duì quánlì de yùwàng yǒng wú zhǐjìng.) - His desire for power is endless.
  • Lust/Physical Desire: The term is frequently used to discuss sexual desire, often in a clinical or critical way. 控制不住自己的欲望会带来很多麻烦。(Kòngzhì bù zhù zìjǐ de yùwàng huì dài lái hěnduō máfan.) - Not being able to control one's desires will bring a lot of trouble.
• Neutral Connotations: In certain contexts, it can be neutral, describing a strong, natural drive.
  • Desire for Knowledge: 孩子天生就有求知的欲望。(Háizi tiānshēng jiù yǒu qiúzhī de yùwàng.) - Children naturally have a desire for knowledge. This is one of the most common positive uses.
  • Survival Instinct: 生存的欲望是所有动物的本能。(Shēngcún de yùwàng shì suǒyǒu dòngwù de běnnéng.) - The desire to survive is an instinct for all animals.

• Example 1:
  • 人类的欲望是无穷的。
  • Pinyin: Rénlèi de yùwàng shì wúqióng de.
  • English: Human desire is infinite.
  • Analysis: A classic, philosophical statement. This sentence uses 欲望 to describe a fundamental aspect of human nature.
• Example 2:
  • 他为了满足自己的欲望，不惜伤害别人。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèile mǎnzú zìjǐ de yùwàng, bùxī shānghài biérén.
  • English: In order to satisfy his own desires, he doesn't hesitate to harm others.
  • Analysis: This example highlights the negative and selfish connotation the word often carries.
• Example 3:
  • 他的职位越高，对权力的欲望就越大。
  • Pinyin: Tā de zhíwèi yuè gāo, duì quánlì de yùwàng jiù yuè dà.
  • English: The higher his position, the greater his desire for power.
  • Analysis: A common collocation, 权力欲望 (quánlì yùwàng), meaning “desire for power” or “lust for power.”
• Example 4:
  • 我们应该学会控制自己的欲望，而不是被它控制。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yīnggāi xuéhuì kòngzhì zìjǐ de yùwàng, ér bùshì bèi tā kòngzhì.
  • English: We should learn to control our desires, not be controlled by them.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects the common philosophical view in Chinese culture that desires must be managed.
• Example 5:
  • 这是一个关于爱与欲望的故事。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī ge guānyú ài yǔ yùwàng de gùshi.
  • English: This is a story about love and desire.
  • Analysis: Here, 欲望 is contrasted with 爱 (ài - love), often implying a conflict between pure affection and physical or selfish craving.
• Example 6:
  • 强烈的求知欲望是他成功的关键。
  • Pinyin: Qiángliè de qiúzhī yùwàng shì tā chénggōng de guānjiàn.
  • English: A strong desire for knowledge was the key to his success.
  • Analysis: This is a great example of a positive and neutral use of the term, showing it can mean a powerful, motivating drive. 求知欲 (qiúzhīyù) is a common set phrase.
• Example 7:
  • 商业广告总是在刺激消费者的购物欲望。
  • Pinyin: Shāngyè guǎnggào zǒngshì zài cìjī xiāofèizhě de gòuwù yùwàng.
  • English: Commercial advertisements are always stimulating consumers' desire to shop.
  • Analysis: A very modern and practical example. It refers to the “appetite” or “urge” to buy things.
• Example 8:
  • 电影深刻地探讨了人性的贪婪与欲望。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng shēnkè de tàntǎo le rénxìng de tānlán yǔ yùwàng.
  • English: The film profoundly explores the greed and desire of human nature.
  • Analysis: Shows how 欲望 is used in formal reviews and analysis, often paired with another negative concept like 贪婪 (tānlán - greed).
• Example 9:
  • 他看着那块蛋糕，眼神里充满了欲望。
  • Pinyin: Tā kànzhe nà kuài dàngāo, yǎnshén lǐ chōngmǎn le yùwàng.
  • English: He looked at that piece of cake, his eyes filled with desire.
  • Analysis: While a bit dramatic for a cake, this sentence illustrates how 欲望 can describe a very visceral, almost primal craving that is visible to others.
• Example 10:
  • 在沙漠里，他对水的欲望超过了一切。
  • Pinyin: Zài shāmò lǐ, tā duì shuǐ de yùwàng chāoguò le yīqiè.
  • English: In the desert, his desire for water surpassed everything else.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates 欲望 used for a fundamental, life-sustaining need, showing its core meaning of a powerful, deep-seated drive.

• 欲望 (yùwàng) vs. 想要 (xiǎngyào): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 欲望 (yùwàng) is a noun for an abstract, powerful force or craving.
  • 想要 (xiǎngyào) is a verb phrase meaning “to want” a specific object or outcome.
  • Incorrect: 我欲望一杯咖啡。(Wǒ yùwàng yī bēi kāfēi.)
  • Correct: 我想要一杯咖啡。(Wǒ xiǎngyào yī bēi kāfēi.) - I want a cup of coffee.
  • Correct: 他无法控制自己对咖啡因的欲望。(Tā wúfǎ kòngzhì zìjǐ duì kāfēiyīn de yùwàng.) - He can't control his craving for caffeine.
• 欲望 (yùwàng) vs. 愿望 (yuànwàng): These look and sound similar but are very different.
  • 欲望 (yùwàng) is a “desire” or “craving,” often physical or material, and can be negative.
  • 愿望 (yuànwàng) is a “wish” or “hope,” almost always positive and aspirational.
  • Example (Wish): 我最大的愿望是世界和平。(Wǒ zuìdà de yuànwàng shì shìjiè hépíng.) - My biggest wish is world peace.
  • Example (Desire): 他最大的欲望是获得权力。(Tā zuìdà de yùwàng shì huòdé quánlì.) - His biggest desire is to obtain power.
  • Using one where you mean the other is a very common and significant mistake.

• 愿望 (yuànwàng) - A wish or dream. More aspirational and positive than 欲望.
• 渴望 (kěwàng) - To long for, to thirst for. Expresses a strong, earnest desire, but is generally less primal or negative than 欲望.
• 野心 (yěxīn) - Ambition (lit. “wild heart”). Often implies ruthless or overly aggressive ambition; usually negative.
• 贪婪 (tānlán) - Greed; avarice. A specific and very negative type of 欲望, almost always related to money or possessions.
• 追求 (zhuīqiú) - To pursue; to seek. This is the action of chasing a goal, which might be driven by 欲望.
• 食欲 (shíyù) - Appetite (for food). A concrete, physical form of 欲望.
• 性欲 (xìngyù) - Libido; sexual desire. Another specific, physical form of 欲望.
• 想要 (xiǎngyào) - To want (something specific). The common, everyday verb for “want.”
• 希望 (xīwàng) - To hope; hope. A general feeling of wanting something to happen. Lighter and less intense than 欲望.