大好き
daisuki[da̠isɨ̥kʲi]
In Japanese, "I love you very much" is expressed as 大好き (daisuki).
大好き is used to express strong affection or a deep liking. While it is commonly used for people, it is also used to express that you love inanimate objects, food or hobbies.
Which one should you use?
While 大好き is a common way to express affection in daily life, the phrase 愛してる (aishiteru) is much more heavy, serious and dramatic.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle yo to the end of daisuki da creates 大好きだよ, which adds an assertive, emotive tone often used in casual conversation with partners or friends. Adding desu to the end of daisuki makes the expression polite, resulting in 大好きです.
How do you pronounce it?
daisuki
Did you know?
- In Japan, the phrase 大好き is often used in a 'confession' called kokuhaku, where one person officially asks another to start a romantic relationship.
- The kanji for 'suki' (好き) contains the character for 'spirit' or 'mind' (心) at the bottom, suggesting that liking something involves the heart.
- While 大好き expresses love, Japanese culture historically values isshin denshin, the idea of 'heart-to-heart communication' where feelings are understood without being spoken.
Examples in context
- 君のことが大好き。kimi no koto ga daisuki.I love you very much.
- この映画、大好き！kono eiga, daisuki!I love this movie very much!
- 猫が大好きです。neko ga daisuki desu.I love cats very much.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are walking in a park during sunset.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵、君のことが大好きだよ。Himari, kimi no koto ga daisuki da yo.Himari, I love you very much.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さん、私も大好きです。Ren-san, watashi mo daisuki desu.Ren, I love you too.
- 蓮 Ren本当？嬉しいな。Honto? Ureshii na.Really? That makes me happy.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、本当に大好きです。Hai, hontou ni daisuki desu.Yes, I love you very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 大好き, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
