desire
desire — 動詞
1. to want something very much, feeling a deep need or wish for it to happen or to
渴望
非常想要某事物
to want something very much, feeling a deep need or wish for it to happen or to be yours — stronger and more formal than the ordinary verb 'want'
After years abroad, Takeshi desired nothing more than to return to his hometown.
在國外多年後，Takeshi 最渴望的就是回到家鄉。
desire nothing more than + to-infinitive
The elderly painter desired recognition for her work, though she rarely showed it.
那位年邁的畫家渴望自己的作品獲得肯定，儘管她很少對外展示。
desire + noun phrase (abstract goal)
What the small community desired most was a reliable source of clean water.
那個小社區最渴望的，就是一個穩定可靠的乾淨水源。
Apinya desired a career in medicine, so she applied to several medical schools.
Apinya 渴望從事醫療工作，於是申請了好幾所醫學院。
The school principal desired a full report on student progress by Friday.
校長渴望在週五前收到一份關於學生進度的完整報告。
文法句型
desire + noun phrase
desire + to-infinitive
desire + that-clause
用法筆記
More formal and carries stronger emotional weight than the everyday verb 'want'. Common in literary, academic, and formal written contexts but rarely used in casual conversation to refer to simple needs.
常見錯誤
2. to feel a strong physical or romantic pull toward someone, wanting to be intimat
渴求
對某人有強烈性吸引
to feel a strong physical or romantic pull toward someone, wanting to be intimate with them
Henry desired his partner deeply, and their connection grew stronger each year.
Henry 深深地渴求著他的伴侶，兩人的關係一年比一年更加親密。
desire + person (intimate relationship)
Noor knew from the way he looked at her that he still desired her.
Noor 從他注視她的方式就知道，他仍然渴求著她。
Léa watched her neighbour leave for work each morning, silently desiring him.
Léa 每天早上看著鄰居出門上班，默默地渴求著他。
In the novel, Walid struggles with his unspoken desire for his closest childhood friend.
在小說中，Walid 掙扎於對自己兒時好友那份說不出口的渴求。
- fancy
British, informal, and much lighter in tone
- lust after
stronger, more physical, and often has a negative or crude connotation
- feel repulsed by
to feel strong dislike or disgust instead of attraction
- be indifferent to
to feel neither attraction nor repulsion
文法句型
desire + person
用法筆記
The direct object is always a person. Frequently appears in literary, poetic, and romantic contexts. Less direct and more refined in tone than synonyms like 'lust after'.
常見錯誤
desire — 名詞
1. a deep feeling of wanting something very much, especially something you do not y
願望
非常想要的強烈感受
a deep feeling of wanting something very much, especially something you do not yet have or cannot easily get
Christopher's greatest desire was to travel the world and experience different cultures.
Christopher 最大的願望就是環遊世界，體驗不同的文化。
greatest desire + was to-infinitive
Meera's desire for a spot on the team grew with each practice session.
Meera 對入選隊伍的渴望，隨著每一次練習與日俱增。
desire for + noun phrase
Ayana expressed a strong desire to leave the busy city and move to the countryside.
Ayana 表達了遠離繁忙都市、搬到鄉下居住的強烈渴望。
Jack's desire for a flashy sports car drained his savings.
Jack 對拉風跑車的渴望，耗盡了他的積蓄。
Eli felt a burning desire to prove everyone wrong about his abilities.
Eli 心中有一股熾熱的渴望，想要證明大家對他的看法是錯的。
- indifference
lack of interest or concern
- apathy
absence of emotion or enthusiasm
文法句型
desire for + noun phrase
desire + to-infinitive
desire + that-clause
用法筆記
Typically followed by 'for' + noun phrase or 'to' + infinitive. Frequently modified by adjectives such as 'strong', 'deep', 'burning', 'overwhelming', or 'passionate'. Can be both countable (a desire) and uncountable (feel desire).
常見錯誤
2. a strong physical or romantic urge to be intimate with someone, usually understo
情慾
對某人的性渴望
a strong physical or romantic urge to be intimate with someone, usually understood as sexual attraction
The novel explores the powerful, forbidden desire between the two main characters.
這部小說探索了兩位主角之間那份強烈而不被允許的情慾。
desire between + plural noun
Saira could not ignore her growing desire for Eli any longer.
Saira 再也無法忽視自己對 Eli 日益增長的情慾。
growing desire for + person
In many traditional societies, expressing physical desire openly was considered improper.
在許多傳統社會中，公開表達生理上的情慾被認為是不恰當的。
A sudden surge of desire ran through Heloísa when Walid gently touched her hand.
當 Walid 輕柔地握住 Heloísa 的手時，一股情慾突然湧上她心頭。
- lust
stronger, more physical, and often has a negative or crude connotation
- passion
more romantic and emotional; can also refer to anger or enthusiasm
- attraction
broader and less intense; can be non-sexual
文法句型
desire for + person
desire + between + people
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 by context: here the object is a person or people, and the feeling is specifically physical or romantic. Frequently modified by 'sexual', 'physical', 'passionate', or 'forbidden'. Often uncountable.
常見錯誤
3. someone or something that a person wants very much — the target of a strong wish
心願
被渴望的人或事物
someone or something that a person wants very much — the target of a strong wish, not the feeling of wanting itself
Nora had been the desire of her heart since they met at university.
從在大學相識那天起，Nora 就是她心底的心願。
the desire of [possessive] heart
The grand piano in the shop window was his one true material desire.
櫥窗裡那架平台鋼琴，是他唯一真心渴望的物質心願。
For the tired explorers, the hidden valley became the desire of their long journey.
對那群疲憊的探險家而言，那隱蔽的山谷正是漫長旅程的心願所在。
In the folk tale, the ring was the desire of all who knew its power.
在那則民間故事中，那枚戒指是所有知曉其力量者的心願。
- dream
more aspirational and less literary; suggests something ideal rather than concrete
- goal
more practical and achievable; less emotional
- object of one's affection
specifically for a person; more sentimental in tone
文法句型
[possessive] + desire
the desire of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is more literary and poetic than noun senses 1 and 2. Unlike those, which name the feeling, this sense names the thing or person that is the target of the feeling. Commonly found in phrases like 'the desire of my heart' or 'my heart's desire'.