Japanese symbol for “want”
欲する
ほっする
Romaji: hossuru
to want; to desire
In Japanese, want is 欲する, read ほっする (hossuru).
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
- vs-s, vt to want; to desire
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “want”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 望む | のぞむ nozomu | to desire; to want; to wish for |
| 欲求 | よっきゅう yokkyuu | desire; want; will |
| 求める | もとめる motomeru | to want; to wish for |
| 思う | おもう omou | to feel; to be (in a state of mind); to desire |
| 要る | いる iru | to be needed; to be necessary; to be required |
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 |
| 欲望 | よくぼう yokubou | desire; appetite; lust |
| 食欲 | しょくよく shokuyoku | appetite (for food) |
| 性欲 | せいよく seiyoku | sexual desire; sex drive; lust |
See also: Chinese symbol for “want”.
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.