我的一生挚爱
wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài
The Chinese phrase for 'love of my life' is 我的一生挚爱 (wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài).
This phrase refers to the person someone loves more than anyone else in the world.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 一生 (yīshēng) literally means 'one life' or 'a whole lifetime', while 挚爱 (zhì'ài) combines the concepts of 'sincere/earnest' and 'love' to denote a profound, deep love.
Which one should you use?
While the English expression 'the love of my life' can sometimes be used casually, the Chinese 我的一生挚爱 carries a much heavier, more poetic weight and is rarely used in everyday spoken slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to shorten the phrase while maintaining its intensity, you can omit the lifetime component and simply say 我的挚爱.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài
Did you know?
- While 挚爱 is the standard for 'love of my life', some speakers use the colloquial 心头肉, which literally translates to 'heart-head meat', to describe a deeply cherished person.
- While 'love of my life' is a common romantic sentiment in English, saying 我的一生挚爱 to a new partner might actually cause a misunderstanding because it sounds like a heavy, formal vow from a historical period drama.
- Because 爱 (ài) is perceived as such a heavy word, native speakers often avoid using it alone in casual conversation, unlike the frequent use of 'love' in English.
Examples in context
- 他是我的一生挚爱。Tā shì wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài.He is the love of my life.
- 你是我的一生挚爱。Nǐ shì wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài.You are the love of my life.
- 我终于找到了我的一生挚爱。Wǒ zhōngyú zhǎodào le wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài.I finally found the love of my life.
Example conversation
A man is proposing to his girlfriend at a romantic dinner.
- 伟 Wei梓涵，你是我的一生挚爱。Zǐhán, nǐ shì wǒ de yīshēng zhì'ài.Zihan, you are the love of my life.
- 梓涵 Zihan伟，我真的太感动了。Wěi, wǒ zhēn de tài gǎndòng le.Wei, I am truly moved.
- 伟 Wei你愿意嫁给我吗？Nǐ yuànyì jià gěi wǒ ma?Will you marry me?
- 梓涵 Zihan我愿意！Wǒ yuànyì!I do!
