Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 親愛的 / 亲爱的 | qīn'ài de |
| 心愛的 / 心爱的 | xīn'ài de |
| 鍾愛的 / 钟爱的 | zhōng'ài de |
While 親愛的 / 亲爱的 is a common way to say "dear" or "beloved", it is also frequently used in casual digital communication by shopkeepers or influencers to address customers and followers in a friendly, sweet manner. For a more emotive or poetic sense of something held dearly in one's heart, such as a "beloved toy", use 心愛的 / 心爱的. If you are describing a long-term devotion or a specific preference for a hobby, a particular item or a highly respected figure, use 鍾愛的 / 钟爱的.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 親愛的 / 亲爱的 is composed of 親, meaning close or intimate. 愛, meaning love. And the adjectival particle 的.
Which one should you use?
心愛的 / 心爱的 is more emotive and poetic than 親愛的 / 亲爱的, often used for something or someone held dearly in one's heart. 鍾愛的 / 钟爱的 is the most formal of the three and conveys a sense of long-term devotion or a specific preference.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 心愛的人 / 心爱的人 can be used as a noun to refer to someone who is loved.
How do you pronounce it?
qīn'ài de
Did you know?
- If you want to call someone your 'beloved' in a very formal, almost literary way, you might use the word 愛人 / 爱人, but be careful: in mainland China, this specifically means 'spouse'.
- The character 鍾 in 鍾愛的 / 钟爱的 historically refers to a bell, evoking the idea of a love that resonates deeply and lasts a long time.
- In modern Chinese internet slang, the term 親 / 亲 is often used alone as a shorthand for 親愛的 / 亲爱的 to create a friendly atmosphere between buyers and sellers.
Examples in context
- 亲爱的朋友Beloved friend
- 我亲爱的老师My beloved teacher
- 我的宝贝My beloved (often romantically used)
- 宝贝儿Sweetheart
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beloved” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
