What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 親愛 (shin'ai), meaning 'affection' or 'love' and なる (naru), which is an archaic attributive form of the verb 'to be'.
Which one should you use?
While 親愛なる is used for sentimental or romantic meanings of 'dear', other phrases can be used depending on the recipient. For example, 敬愛する方へ means 'To the person I deeply respect and love' and both 大切な（お）方へ and 大切な人へ mean 'To the important person'. You might also use かわいい人へ to mean 'To the adorable person'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 親愛なる is primarily used in written, literary or highly formal contexts, such as in the translation of Western-style letters. For formal situations, you can use 敬愛する方へ (To the person I deeply respect and love) or 大切な（お）方へ (To the important person). For informal situations, you can use 大切な人へ (To the important person) or かわいい人へ (To the adorable person).
How do you pronounce it?
shin'ai naru
Did you know?
- In very formal Japanese letters, the greeting does not start with 'Dear', but with a seasonal reference to the weather or nature before addressing the person.
- The word 親 (shin) in 親愛 shares its root with the word for 'parent' (oya/shin), highlighting the deep, foundational nature of the affection being described.
- Using 親愛なる in a business email would be a significant social error. It is too sentimental and literary for the professional distance required in Japanese business etiquette.
Examples in context
- かわいい人へ、ゆりへTo the adorable person, Yuri
- 親愛なる友へ、shin'ai naru tomo e,Dear friend,
- 親愛なる家族へ、shin'ai naru kazoku e,Dear family,
Example conversation
Hiyori is showing Ren a letter she wrote.
- 陽葵 Himari手紙の書き出しは「親愛なる蓮へ」にしたよ。Tegami no kakidashi wa "Shin'ai naru Ren e" ni shita yo.I started the letter with "Dear Ren".
- 蓮 Renすごいね。とても丁寧な感じがするよ。Sugoi ne. Totemo teinei na kanji ga suru yo.That's great. It feels very polite.
- 陽葵 Himari気持ちを込めて書きたいと思ったから。Kimochi o komete kakitai to omotta kara.I wanted to write it with a lot of feeling.
- 蓮 Renありがとう。大切にするね。Arigato. Taisetsu ni suru ne.Thank you. I will treasure it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 親愛なる, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
