noun
desire to protect; protective urge
A compound noun referring to the psychological urge or instinct to shelter and care for someone or something perceived as vulnerable. Often used in contexts like parenting, mentoring, or pet ownership.
小さな子犬を見ると、庇護欲が湧いてくる。
When I see a small puppy, a desire to protect it wells up inside me.
彼女は庇護欲が強く、いつも後輩の面倒を見ている。
She has a strong protective urge and is always looking after her juniors.
庇護 is the noun 'protection, patronage, shelter', while 庇護欲 specifically refers to the desire or instinct to provide that protection.
Compound of 庇護 (ひご, 'protection, shelter') and 欲 (よく, 'desire, urge'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common pattern of combining a noun with 欲 to express a psychological drive.