How to say "lust" in Japanese

• 欲望よくぼうJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounLust in the general sense of strong desire or appetite. It covers cravings of all kinds, so use it when the desire in question is not necessarily sexual.
  欲望よくぼうを愛あいと混同こんどうするな。↗

  Don't confuse desire with love.
• 性欲せいよくCommon
  nounSexual desire or sex drive. This is the word when lust means the desire for sex itself, named directly rather than as passion or lechery.
  気きになる男性だんせいの性欲せいよくを刺激しげきするにはどうすればよいのでしょうか？↗

  What should I do to arouse desire in the man I'm interested in?
• 愛欲あいよくCommon
  nounPassion or lust in which love and desire are entangled; carnal passion. Suits contexts of romantic or erotic passion rather than plain sex drive.
  大学生だいがくせいの時とき、有理子ゆりこが愛欲あいよくに身みを委ゆだねた。↗

  When she was at university, Yuriko abandoned herself to sexual passion.
• 好色こうしょくCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveLust as lechery: a lecherous or salacious disposition rather than a passing feeling of desire. Fits describing someone given to lewdness, not ordinary sexual appetite.
  「好色こうしょくと倒錯とうさくの違ちがいとは？」「好色こうしょくなら羽はねを使つかうが、倒錯とうさくなら鶏にわとりをまるごと使つかう」↗

  "What's the difference between erotic and kinky?" "Erotic is when you use a feather and kinky is when you use a whole chicken."

Choose 欲望 for desire or appetite in general, 性欲 for sexual desire itself, 愛欲 for passion blending love and desire, and 好色 for lechery, a lecherous disposition rather than a passing feeling.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 欲望よくぼうdesire
• 性欲せいよくsexual desire
• 愛欲あいよくpassion
• 好色こうしょくlasciviousness
• 色欲しきよくlust
• 肉欲にくよくlust
• 情欲じょうよくpassions
• 多淫たいんlubriciousness
• 色情しきじょうsexual passion
• 劣情れつじょうanimal passions
• 淫欲いんよくsexual desire
• 獣欲じゅうよくanimal desires
• 性的欲望せいてきよくぼうsexual desire
• 色いろlove
• 色しょくlust