色情(しきじょう)

しきじょう
noun
lust; sexual desire; sensuality
formalemotionreligion
1. lust; sexual desire; sensuality
Sexual passion or carnal desire, often carrying a literary or somewhat clinical tone.
色情(しきじょう)に溺(おぼ)れる。
To drown in lust.
その小説(しょうせつ)は色情(しきじょう)をテーマにしている。
That novel has sensuality as its theme.
仏教(ぶっきょう)では色情(しきじょう)は煩悩(ぼんのう)の一(ひと)つとされ、悟(さと)りの妨(さまた)げになると教(おし)えられる。
In Buddhism, lust is considered one of the worldly desires and is taught to be an obstacle to enlightenment.

Composed of 色(しき) (sensual desire; color) + 情(じょう) (emotion; passion). The kanji 色(しき) has long carried sexual connotations in Japanese, as in 色恋(いろこい) (love affair) and 好色(こうしょく) (lustful). 色情(しきじょう) is a literary or formal word; everyday speech uses 性欲(せいよく) instead.

Common collocations

  • 色情(しきじょう)に溺(おぼ)れる: to be consumed by lust
  • 色情(しきじょう)狂(きょう): sexual mania; nymphomania
  • 色情(しきじょう)的(てき): sensual; erotic

Similar words

  • 性欲(せいよく): sexual desire — the standard modern term; more neutral and direct than the literary 色情(しきじょう)
  • 情欲(じょうよく): passion; carnal desire — similar register to 色情(しきじょう), also somewhat literary
  • 好色(こうしょく): lustfulness; lechery — describes the tendency or character of being lustful, rather than the desire itself

Related Words

Compare: 性欲(せいよく) (sexual desire)
Compare: 情欲(じょうよく) (passion)
Compare: 好色(こうしょく) (lustfulness)
general
Added 2026.4.21 21:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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