我爱你
wǒ ài nǐ
The English phrase "I love you" is expressed in Chinese as 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ).
我爱你 is the standard and most common way to say "I love you" in Chinese. It is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I/me), 爱 (love) and 你 (you).
Which one should you use?
While 我爱你 expresses deep romantic love, 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuān nǐ) is often used to express romantic interest or "liking" someone in the earlier stages of a relationship. Additionally, 我超级喜欢你 (wǒ chāo jí xǐ huān nǐ) translates to "I really, really like you" and is used among friends or partners.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ ài nǐ
Did you know?
- If you want to sound more modern or 'cute' in digital messages, you might see the number '520' used instead of 我爱你. In Chinese, the pronunciation of 'five two zero' sounds similar to 'I love you'.
- A person might express their love for you by asking if you have eaten, using the phrase 你吃饭了吗? In Chinese culture, providing food is a profound way to say 'I care about you' without using the word 'love'.
- The character 爱 has a simplified version used in Mainland China and a traditional version used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The traditional version includes the character for 'heart' 心 in the middle, while the simplified version removes it.
Examples in context
- 汤没我爱你。Tom doesn't love you as much as I love you.This sentence uses 我爱你 to compare how much one person loves another.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 uses 我爱你 to show sincerity when expressing love.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 uses 我爱你 to ask for a translation into French.Tatoeba #8715888 by crescat, translation #2417967 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- 梓涵 Zihan俊杰，我爱你。Jùnjié, wǒ ài nǐ.Junjie, I love you.
- 俊杰 Junjie我也爱你，梓涵。Wǒ yě ài nǐ, Zǐhán.I love you too, Zihan.
- 梓涵 Zihan明天见！Míngtiān jiàn!See you tomorrow!
- 俊杰 Junjie明天见，小心开车。Míngtiān jiàn, xiǎoxīn kāichē.See you tomorrow, drive safely.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
