Ways to say it
| Mandarin | 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 |
Mandarin uses different forms of the word depending on whether you are referring to a kiss as a noun or a verb, and whether the tone is romantic, formal or casual. As a noun meaning "a kiss", 吻 is often seen in literary or romantic contexts. As a verb, you can use 吻, 親 / 亲, 親吻 / 亲吻, 接吻 or 親嘴 / 亲嘴 depending on the desired register.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in their social weight. 接吻 is the standard, neutral term for the physical act of two people kissing. 親吻 / 亲吻 is a more formal way to express the concept. For a more casual or colloquial tone, use 親嘴 / 亲嘴. In very casual spoken Mandarin, the single syllable 親 / 亲 is often used as a verb. For a more literary or romantic sense, particularly when using it as a noun meaning "a kiss", 吻 is the preferred choice.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
wěn (IPA: /wən²¹⁴/)
When do people say it?
The term 亲亲 is used to convey a sense of affection and cuteness, making it a common way to speak to children or to act sweet with a romantic partner.
Did you know?
- In modern digital culture, the word 亲 (qīn) is frequently used as a friendly, cute term of address for customers in online shopping, similar to 'dear' or 'honey'.
- In some historical scripts, a component of the character for 'close/kiss' was actually a stylized chisel used as a whip.
- In many traditional Chinese contexts, public kissing was historically viewed as far more taboo than in the West, leading to a wide variety of subtle, indirect terms for affection.
Examples in context
- 吻我，你个白痴！Kiss me, you fool!This sentence shows an imperative use of 吻.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 in a romantic context.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 verbTatoeba #8688124 by slo_oth, translation #8515350 by CH
- 我喜欢你，可以亲亲吗？I like you, can I kiss you?
- 当然可以！亲亲我吧！Of course! Give me a kiss!
- 给我爸妈道个晚安，顺便代表我亲一下。Say goodnight to my parents and give them a kiss on my behalf.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye at the train station.
- 雨婷 Yuting给我一个吻，然后我就走了。Gěi wǒ yīgè wěn, ránhòu wǒ jiù zǒu le.Give me a kiss, and then I'll leave.
- 浩然 Haoran好，我会想你的。Hǎo, wǒ huì xiǎng nǐ de.Okay, I will miss you.
- 雨婷 Yuting这个吻很甜蜜。Zhège wěn hěn tiánmì.This kiss is very sweet.
- 浩然 Haoran一路平安，雨婷。Yīlù píng'ān, Yǔtíng.Have a safe trip, Yuting.
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.
