noun
lust; sexual desire; carnal appetite
Refers to strong sexual desire or lust, often with a negative or Buddhist connotation of worldly attachment.
彼は色欲に負けてしまった。
He gave in to lust.
仏教では色欲は煩悩の一つとされる。
In Buddhism, carnal desire is considered one of the earthly desires.
性欲 is a more clinical term for sexual drive or libido, while 色欲 emphasizes lust or carnal desire, often with a moral or religious nuance.
Compound of 色 (color, but here meaning 'sexual passion' or 'worldly desire') and 欲 (desire, greed). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has been used in Buddhist contexts to refer to carnal desire.