婪
covet
Strokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- ラン
Kun'yomi
- むさぼ.る
Meaning
婪 centers on intense, greedy desire: to covet or crave something excessively, often with a sense of moral failing.
Most common words using 婪
- 貪婪どんらん
avarice; greed
Study
Etymology
婪 combines 林 (forest) and 女 (woman), but the historical origin is uncertain. It may have originally depicted a woman in a forest as a metaphor for hidden or excessive desire, though this is speculative.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 standing in a dense forest 林, secretly eyeing something she desperately wants. The hidden, excessive desire captures the idea of coveting.
Reading mnemonic
For ラン, imagine a greedy person running through the forest to grab what they covet: run -> ラン, and the woman in the forest chases after it.