(しきじょう)

しきじょう
noun
lust; sexual desire; sensuality
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)(おぼ)れる。
To drown in lust.
その小説(しょうせつ)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)煩悩(ぼんのう)(ひと)つとされ、(さと)りの(さまた)げになると(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 (しき) (sensual desire; color) + (じょう) (emotion; passion). The kanji (しき/いろ) 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)(おぼ)れる: to be consumed by lust
  • 色情(しきじょう)(きょう): sexual mania; nymphomania
  • 色情(しきじょう)(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