yen
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈjɛn// UK //jˈɛn// yen
n. a strong feeling that you really want or need something. It is often a feeling that is hard to ignore.
n. a persistent and intense desire or craving for something. Often used in informal or literary contexts to describe a deep-seated longing.
I have a sudden yen for some chocolate cake.
After years of living in the city, she felt a growing yen to move back to the countryside.
Despite his professional success in finance, he harbored a secret yen for the stage, eventually leaving his firm to pursue a career in local theater.
From Mandarin 燕 (Yān), reinforced by Wade-Giles romanization: Yen¹.
Usage
Commonly takes the preposition 'for' followed by the object of desire.