Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 愛 | ai | [a̠i] (narrow) [ma̠na̠] (narrow) |
| 愛情 | aijō | [a̠iʑo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 愛好 | aikō | [a̠iko̞ː] (narrow) |
The term 'love' in Japanese can refer to several different concepts depending on the context. 愛 represents the abstract concept of love. 愛情 expresses a deep emotional attachment or affection for someone. 愛好 refers to a fondness for interests, hobbies or specific things rather than interpersonal love.
Which one should you use?
While 愛 refers to the abstract concept of love, 愛情 refers to the actual feeling or expression of affection toward someone. In contrast, 愛好 is used specifically for a love of interests or hobbies.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form 愛する is a transitive verb that requires a direct object, which is typically marked by the particle を (wo).
How do you pronounce it?
ai
When do people say it?
The verb form 愛してる is extremely heavy and serious. It is used much less frequently in Japanese than 'I love you' is in English. In many romantic contexts, Japanese speakers often prefer using 好き or 大好き to express 'love' because 愛 can feel overly dramatic or profound.
Did you know?
- Because 愛 is so emotionally heavy, many Japanese couples may go their entire relationship without ever saying it to each other.
- In Japanese culture, love is often communicated through 'aishiteru's' silent counterpart: attentive actions and anticipation of a partner's needs.
- The kanji for 'love', 愛, was originally chosen for its phonetic and semantic qualities rather than its purely conceptual meaning, a practice known as ateji.
Examples in context
- 私を愛してる？Do you love me?This sentence uses 愛 to ask if someone is loved.Tatoeba #152153 by bunbuku, translation #321497 by CK
- 相思相愛です。I love him and he loves me.This sentence uses 愛 to describe a mutual love.Tatoeba #12698654 by small_snow, translation #7421687 by Hybrid
- 愛は愛を愛する。Love loves love.This sentence uses 愛 to state that love loves love.Tatoeba #1614172 by Meow, translation #477374 by BlueLagoon
- わたしはあなたを愛しています。I love you.
- 私はあなたに深い愛情を持っています。I have deep affection for you.
- 彼との時間が好きです。I love spending time with him.
- 332 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are talking about their relationship.
- 陽太 Yota結衣への愛は、誰にも負けないよ。Yui e no ai wa, dare ni mo makenai yo.My love for you, Yui, is stronger than anyone's.
- 結衣 Yuiそんなこと言ってくれるなんて嬉しい。Sonna koto itte kureru nante ureshii.I'm so happy you said that.
- 陽太 Yota本当だよ。これが僕の愛の形なんだ。Hontou da yo. Kore ga boku no ai no katachi nan da.I mean it. This is my form of love.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう。私も陽太のことを大切にするね。Arigatou. Watashi mo Yota no koto o taisetsu ni suru ne.Thank you. I will cherish you too, Yota.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries 愛, 愛情, 愛好, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 愛, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
