Describes a strong, often ruthless desire for money or gain, sometimes implying a lack of compassion. Can be used as a noun or adjectival noun.
Everyone was disgusted by his greedy and heartless way of doing things.
A life spent merely hoarding money out of avarice is empty.
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
Variant kanji spelling using 慾 (desire) instead of 欲; less common.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 胴 (trunk, torso) and 欲 (desire) combine to suggest a deep-seated, bodily greed, but this is a conventional association rather than a confirmed historical origin.