欲 meaning and stroke order
Desire, want, longing, intent
How to write 欲, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 欲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- desire
- appetite
- passion
- lust
- greed
- to wish for
How 欲 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Lack.
欠 gives the meaning and 谷 hints at the sound.
Radical: 欠 (to lack), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 欲
欲 is 谷 (gǔ, valley) next to 欠 (qiàn, lack). 欠 gives the meaning of lacking something, and 谷 hints at the sound, so picture an empty valley that feels a lack and longs to be filled.
欲 is mostly used in compound words and set phrases rather than on its own, such as 食欲 (shíyù, appetite) and 欲望 (yùwàng, desire). In formal or written Chinese it can also mean "about to," as in 摇摇欲坠 (yáoyáo-yùzhuì). Example: 他最近没有食欲。(Tā zuìjìn méiyǒu shíyù.) He has had no appetite lately.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 欲 with 浴 (yù, to bathe), which sounds the same and also contains 谷 but has the water radical 氵 on the left. Remember that 欲 has 欠 on the right because desire comes from lacking something.
Common words with 欲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 食欲 | shíyù | appetite | HSK 6 |
| 欲望 | yùwàng | desire; longing; appetite; craving | HSK 7-9 |
| 随心所欲 | suíxīnsuǒyù | (idiom) to follow one's heart's desires; to do as one pleases | HSK 7-9 |
| 摇摇欲坠 | yáoyáo-yùzhuì | tottering; on the verge of collapse | HSK 7-9 |
| 为所欲为 | wéisuǒyùwéi | (idiom) to do whatever one pleases | |
| 性欲 | xìngyù | sexual desire; lust | |
| 痛不欲生 | tòngbùyùshēng | to be so in pain as to not want to live; to be so grieved as to wish one were dead | |
| 欲火焚身 | yùhuǒfénshēn | burning with desire | |
| 禁欲 | jìnyù | to suppress desire; self-restraint | |
| 情欲 | qíngyù | lust; desire | |
| 欲火 | yùhuǒ | lust | |
| 伤心欲绝 | shāngxīnyùjué | (idiom) to be overcome with grief | |
| 肉欲 | ròuyù | carnal desire | |
| 蠢蠢欲动 | chǔnchǔnyùdòng | to begin to stir (idiom); to get restless |
欲 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 欲
Learning 欲 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 欲
How many strokes are in 欲?
欲 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 欲 mean?
欲 (yù) means desire, want, longing, intent. A common word with it is 食欲 (shíyù), meaning "appetite".
How do you pronounce 欲?
欲 is pronounced yù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 欲?
The radical of 欲 is 欠, which carries the idea of "to lack". Dictionaries list 欲 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 欲?
The traditional form of 欲 is 慾. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 欲 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 欲 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 欲 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 欲 mean "about to" or "going to"?
Yes, in literary and formal Chinese 欲 can mean that something is on the verge of happening. You see this in 摇摇欲坠 (yáoyáo-yùzhuì, tottering, about to fall). In everyday speech people use 要 (yào) or 快要 (kuàiyào) instead.
Is 欲望 a negative word?
Not always. 欲望 (yùwàng) simply means desire or craving, and it can be neutral, like 购买欲望 (desire to buy). In some contexts, such as talking about greed or lust, it carries a negative tone, so the meaning depends on what follows.