also: しゅくもう
noun
long-cherished desire; heart's desire
A somewhat formal or literary term for a deeply held wish or ambition that one has harbored for a long time.
彼は長年の宿望を遂げて、ついに自分の店を持った。
He fulfilled his long-cherished desire and finally opened his own shop.
留学は彼女の宿望だった。
Studying abroad was her heart's desire.
念願 is more common and neutral for a long-held wish, while 宿望 is more literary and emphasizes the depth and duration of the desire.
Compound of 宿 (lodging, long-standing) and 望 (hope, desire), suggesting a wish that has been harbored for a long time.