liking; appetite; fondness; indulgence
Refers to a strong personal liking or craving, often with a nuance of indulgence or weakness for something. Somewhat literary or formal.
He has a deep fondness for sweets.
I gave in to my appetite and ended up overeating.
Standard kanji form for this word.
Variant using 慾 instead of 欲; less common.
Rare variant with 耆; may be encountered in older texts.
Composed of 嗜 (to like, to be fond of) and 欲 (desire, craving). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys a strong personal appetite or indulgence.