愛しい人
itoshii hitoliterary, romantic
Japanese has no single everyday word for "my love". To a boy you can use ダーリン (dārin), borrowed from "darling", or the literary 愛しい人 (itoshii hito), "beloved person". It is also called あなた (anata).
Meaning: term of endearment (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 愛しい人 | itoshii hito | literary, romantic |
| あなた | anata | wife to husband, romantic |
| ダーリン | dārin | playful, loanword |
Most couples simply use the partner's name, a nickname or くん (kun) after the name. Pet names like ダーリン (dārin) are playful and often used with a smile.
Which one should you use?
あなた (anata) means "you", and a wife may use it for her husband as an affectionate word. Between young couples it can sound distant.
Did you know?
- ダーリン (dārin) is written in katakana because it is a loanword from English.
Examples in context
- ダーリン、今日何食べたい？Dārin, kyō nani tabetai?Darling, what do you want to eat today?
- あなたに会えてよかった。Anata ni aete yokatta.I am glad I met you.
Example conversation
Haruka teases her boyfriend Daiki while they cook dinner together.
- Harukaダーリン、お皿取って。Dārin, osara totte.Darling, pass me a plate.
- Daikiダーリンって呼ぶの？Dārin tte yobu no?You are calling me darling now?
- Harukaたまにはいいでしょ。Tama ni wa ii desho.It is fine once in a while.
