我喜欢你
wǒ xǐhuan nǐ
我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuan nǐ) is the Chinese way to say "I like you".
This can be for romantic interest, or to tell a friend that you like their personality or character. The word 你 (nǐ) means "you".
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I), 喜欢 (to like) and 你 (you).
Which one should you use?
While 我喜欢你 expresses liking or affection, the phrase 我爱你 (I love you) is a much stronger and more serious declaration of love. To add emphasis to the level of liking, you can use the informal phrase 我超喜欢你 (I really, really like you!).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the informal phrase 我鐘意你 translates to "I like you" and you can use 我好鐘意你 to add emphasis and express a greater liking towards a person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 喜欢 (xǐhuan) does not change its form based on the person or the tense.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ xǐhuan nǐ
Did you know?
- On May 20th, many young people in China celebrate 520 as an unofficial Valentine's Day. This is because the numbers 五二零 (wǔ èr líng) sound similar to 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) or the slightly softer 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuān nǐ).
- In traditional Chinese culture, explicitly saying 我喜欢你 or 我爱你 was historically rare. Affection was more commonly expressed through actions, such as peeling fruit for someone or preparing a meal.
- Chinese has a concept called 暗恋 (ànliàn), which describes the specific state of liking someone in secret. It literally translates to 'dark love', referring to a crush that is never confessed via 我喜欢你.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢你。I like you.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 我喜欢你.Tatoeba #1424394 by sadhen, translation #410751 by CK
- 我喜欢你，不是因为你的钱。Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ, bùshì yīnwèi nǐ de qián.I like you, not because of your money.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei confesses his feelings to Xiaowen in a park.
- 伟 Wei晓雯，我喜欢你。Xiǎowén, wǒ xǐhuān nǐ.Xiaowen, I like you.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen真的吗？我也喜欢你。Zhēn de ma? Wǒ yě xǐhuān nǐ.Really? I like you too.
- 伟 Wei我真的很爱你。Wǒ zhēn de hěn ài nǐ.I really love you.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，我也很爱你。Wěi, wǒ yě hěn ài nǐ.Wei, I love you too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
