Japanese symbol for “lust”
欲望
よくぼう
Romaji: yokubou
desire; appetite; lust
In Japanese, lust is 欲望, read よくぼう (yokubou).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n desire; appetite; lust
Written forms: 欲望、慾望. Readings: よくぼう.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “lust”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 性欲 | せいよく seiyoku | sexual desire; sex drive; lust |
| 色 | いろ iro | love; lust; sensuality |
| 好色 | こうしょく koushoku | lasciviousness; lechery; salaciousness |
| 肉欲 | にくよく nikuyoku | lust; lusts of the flesh; animal passions |
| 色 | しょく shoku | lust; (sexual) desire |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 欲しい | ほしい hoshii | wanting (to have); desiring; wishing for |
| 意欲 | いよく iyoku | will; desire; eagerness |
| 欲求 | よっきゅう yokkyuu | desire; want; will |
| 食欲 | しょくよく shokuyoku | appetite (for food) |
| 性欲 | せいよく seiyoku | sexual desire; sex drive; lust |
| 希望 | きぼう kibou | hope; wish; aspiration |
| 絶望 | ぜつぼう zetsubou | despair; hopelessness |
| 要望 | ようぼう youbou | demand for; request |
See also: Chinese symbol for “lust”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.