爱/愛 ài — to love

Meanings

1. 1

   to love

   Deep affection, for people or for things that matter to you. It is stronger than 喜欢 "to like" and is used more sparingly in speech than "love" is in English.

   verb
2. 2

   to love doing something, to be fond of

   verb

   Followed directly by a verb, 爱 means a settled fondness for doing something: 她很爱看书.

Character breakdown

• 爱/愛

  ài (fourth tone, falling)

  to love; to like, to be fond of; love, affection

  10 strokes⿳爫冖友Radical 心

Example sentences

• 我爱我的家。/我愛我的家。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) ài (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) jiā. (first tone, high and level)···

  I love my family.

• 她很爱看书。/她很愛看書。Tā (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) ài (fourth tone, falling) kàn (fourth tone, falling) shū. (first tone, high and level)···

  She loves reading.

Similar words

Words containing 爱

• 亲爱/親愛qīn (first tone, high and level) ài (fourth tone, falling)dear
• 爱情/愛情àiqíng (fourth tone, falling)love, romance (between partners)
• 可爱/可愛kě (third tone, dipping) ài (fourth tone, falling)lovely, cute, endearing
• 恋爱/戀愛liàn (fourth tone, falling) ài (fourth tone, falling)(romantic) love
• 爱护/愛護àihù (fourth tone, falling)to take good care of, to cherish and protect
• 爱好/愛好àihào (fourth tone, falling)hobby, pastime, interest
• 热爱/熱愛rè (fourth tone, falling) ài (fourth tone, falling)to love ardently
• 喜爱/喜愛xǐ (third tone, dipping) ài (fourth tone, falling)to like
• 爱人/愛人ài (fourth tone, falling) ren (neutral tone)spouse (PRC)
• 爱心/愛心ài (fourth tone, falling) xīn (first tone, high and level)compassion
• 爱国/愛國ài (fourth tone, falling) guó (second tone, rising)to love one's country
• 心爱/心愛xīn (first tone, high and level) ài (fourth tone, falling)beloved
• 关爱/關愛guān (first tone, high and level) ài (fourth tone, falling)to show concern and care for
• 宠爱/寵愛chǒng (third tone, dipping) ài (fourth tone, falling)to dote on sb
• 疼爱/疼愛téng (second tone, rising) ài (fourth tone, falling)to love dearly
• 爱戴/愛戴ài (fourth tone, falling) dài (fourth tone, falling)to love and respect
• 敬爱/敬愛jìng (fourth tone, falling) ài (fourth tone, falling)respect and love