生活，欢笑，爱
shēnghuó, huānxiào, ài
The English phrase "live laugh love" is translated into Chinese as 生活，欢笑，爱 (shēnghuó, huānxiào, ài).
This phrase is a common inspirational motto, frequently used in home decor to encourage a positive and joyful approach to life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of three parts: 生活 (shēnghuó), which means both the verb "to live" and the noun "life". 欢笑 (huānxiào), which refers to joyful laughter or the act of laughing happily. And 爱 (ài), which is the single character for the verb "to love" or the noun "love".
How do you pronounce it?
shēnghuó, huānxiào, ài
Did you know?
- In mainland China, the simplified character 爱 removes the 'heart' radical 心 that remains in the traditional version used in Taiwan.
- In Chinese culture, expressing 'love' 爱 is traditionally much more intense and rare than in English. For daily affection, people often use 喜欢, which means 'to like', to avoid the overwhelming weight of 爱.
- Instead of three-word lists, traditional Chinese decor typically uses four-character idioms called 成语, such as 平安喜乐 for 'peace and happiness'.
