About
觊 (simplified form of 覬) is a phono-semantic compound: the 见 component on the right, meaning 'see', hints at the semantic field, while 岂 on the left supplies the sound. It names the act of coveting, harboring illicit desire for what rightfully belongs to another, often sparked by a greedy gaze. Almost always found in formal compounds, it describes ambitious, improper longing for power or wealth and carries strong negative overtones of scheming and ulterior motives. The visual radical underscores how perceiving a desirable object can give rise to an illicit urge to possess it.
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