Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 吻 | wěn | /wən²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /mɐn¹³/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
| 親 / 亲 | qīn | |
| 親吻 / 亲吻 | qīnwěn | |
| 接吻 | jiēwěn | /t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ wən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡siːp̚³ mɐn¹³/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
| 親嘴 / 亲嘴 | qīnzuǐ |
The term can function as both a noun, describing a touch with the lips and a verb, describing the action of kissing. In many contexts, such as 'a kiss', the form 吻 is frequently used as a noun in literary or romantic settings.
Which one should you use?
The forms vary significantly in tone and nuance. 吻 and 亲吻 are formal options used in writing or serious descriptions, while 亲 is an informal way to say kiss. For the verb 'to kiss', 接吻 is a more formal or descriptive term used to describe the act of two people kissing each other, whereas 亲嘴 is a more colloquial and direct way to express the action compared to the more literary 吻 or 亲吻.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 亲吻 serves as a formal verb form commonly found in written language.
How do you pronounce it?
wěn (/wən²¹⁴/)
Did you know?
- Ancient versions of the character 亲 contained a component representing a hazelnut branch used as a whip.
- In modern internet slang, 亲 (qīn) is often used as a friendly greeting similar to 'dear' or 'honey' when shopping online, regardless of any romantic connection.
- The character 亲 is also the word for 'relative' or 'parent'. Because of this, using 亲 to mean 'to kiss' can carry a subtext of intimacy that feels more personal than the formal 吻.
Examples in context
- 吻我，你个白痴！Kiss me, you fool!This sentence shows how to use 吻 in an imperative command.Tatoeba #4517843 by yuiyu, translation #4471210 by DarkHollow
- 一等奖是公主的香吻。The grand prize is a kiss from the princess.This sentence uses 吻 as a noun to describe a specific kind of kiss.Tatoeba #2027950 by ydcok, translation #2038382 by JarHead54321
- 他告诉我他没有吻她。He told me he didn't kiss her.This sentence uses 吻 as a verb.Tatoeba #8688124 by slo_oth, translation #8515350 by CH
- 他轻轻地吻了她的脸。He gently kissed her face.
- 他躲避了她的亲吻。He dodged her kiss.
- 我们俩每天早上都要亲一下。We kiss each other every morning.
- 宝宝每次看到我就要亲亲。Baby kisses me every time she sees me.
- 一碰见你我就想亲！I want to kiss you as soon as I see you!
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are saying goodbye at the door.
- 伟 Wei我可以给你一个吻吗？Wǒ kěyǐ gěi nǐ yīgè wěn ma?Can I give you a kiss?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen当然可以，伟。Dāngrán kěyǐ, Wěi.Of course you can, Wei.
- 伟 Wei你的吻真甜。Nǐ de wěn zhēn tián.Your kiss is so sweet.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也这么觉得，晓雯。Wǒ yě zhème juéde, Xiǎowén.I think so too, Xiaowen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kiss” translations and entries 吻, 接吻, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 吻, 親, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
