ài
verbnounBeginner
general

To love; to have affection for someone or something

我爱我的家人。

I love my family.

她爱阅读书籍。

She loves reading books.

general

Love; affection; fondness

爱是无私的。

Love is selfless.

他对音乐充满爱。

He has a deep love for music.

Collocations

爱好hobby爱情romantic love爱国patriotism

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

爱不释手idiom
to love something so much that one cannot bear to part with it
爱屋及乌idiom
to love something because of its association with something else

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'爱' is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, from expressing romantic love to showing affection for hobbies or interests.

Gold Rule

Verb vs. Noun

When used as a verb, '爱' is followed by an object (e.g., 我爱你). When used as a noun, it often appears in compounds like '爱情' (romantic love).

📖Word Origin

The character '爱' is composed of '爫' (a hand) and '冖' (a cover), originally representing the idea of 'to cover with the hand,' which evolved to symbolize affection and care.

📝Usage Notes

The word '爱' can be used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it means 'to love,' and as a noun, it refers to 'love' or 'affection.'

Word Breakdown

hand
root
+
cover
root
汉英词典