我爱你
wǒ ài nǐ
我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) is the Chinese way to say 'I love you'.
我爱你 is the most common and direct way to say 'I love you' in Chinese. It is used to affirm romantic feelings.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 我爱你 breaks down into three parts: 我 (I/me), 爱 (to love) and 你 (you).
Which one should you use?
While 我爱你 is a heavy declaration of romantic love, 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuān nǐ) is a more common way to express romantic interest or 'liking' someone in the early stages of dating. For a deeper emotional connection that implies strong feelings, you might use 我对你有感情.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ ài nǐ
When do people say it?
In Chinese culture, saying 我爱你 is much more direct and heavy than in English and is typically reserved for serious romantic relationships or very intense declarations.
Did you know?
- In some internet slang or playful contexts, people use the number '520' to mean 'I love you' because the numbers in Chinese sound similar to the phrase 'wǒ ài nǐ'.
- The character 爱 has two versions: the simplified form used in mainland China and the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The traditional version includes the character for 'heart' 心 inside it.
- Many Chinese parents express love through the phrase 你吃了吗 which means 'have you eaten'. This substitutes for 我爱你 by showing care through the provision of food.
Examples in context
- 汤没我爱你。Tom doesn't love you as much as I love you.This sentence is useful for comparing the intensity of the phrase 我爱你.Tatoeba #13943785 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #4391193 by CK
- 我说我爱你时是认真的。I was serious when I said I love you.This sentence is useful for emphasizing the sincerity of saying 我爱你.Tatoeba #5551019 by verdastelo9604, translation #5573284 by n1ls
- “我爱你”用法语怎么讲？How do you say "I love you" in French?This sentence is useful for asking how to translate the phrase 我爱你 into another language.Tatoeba #8715888 by crescat, translation #2417967 by CK
- 你是我生命中最重要的人，我爱你。You are the most important person in my life, I love you.
- 你的笑容让我心动，我对你有感情。Your smile touches my heart, I have feelings for you.
- 晚安，爱你。Goodnight, love you.
- 真的爱死你了！I really love you so much!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner at a quiet restaurant.
- 俊杰 Junjie梓涵，我爱你。Zǐhán, wǒ ài nǐ.Zihan, I love you.
- 梓涵 Zihan我也爱你，俊杰。Wǒ yě ài nǐ, Jùnjié.I love you too, Junjie.
- 俊杰 Junjie你今天真漂亮。Nǐ jīntiān zhēn piàoliang.You look beautiful today.
- 梓涵 Zihan谢谢你，亲爱的。Xièxiè nǐ, qīn'ài de.Thank you, honey.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
