爱 ài love
love; to be fond of; to tend to
How to remember 爱: 爫 claws + 冖 cover + 友 friend = love. He sinks his claws into his friend's arm, tries to cover his sadness and says "You know I love you."
Component breakdown
爱 = 爫 claws + 冖 cover + 友 friend
- 爫 claws
- 冖 cover
- 友 friend
- 𠂇 left hand
- 又 again
He sinks his claws into his friend's arm, tries to cover his sadness and says "You know I love you."
How it came to be
The full form is a hand reaching down over a heart, with a foot at the bottom. Somebody carrying their heart to another person, on foot, because it is something one goes and does.
How it is used
- Love / be fond of / be prone to - 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) I love you, 爱吃辣 (ài chī là) love eating spicy food; stronger and warmer than 喜欢 (xǐhuan, like).
- Also tend to - 这里爱下雨 (zhèlǐ ài xià yǔ) it tends to rain here; 爱好 (àihào) a hobby, 可爱 (kě'ài) cute.
Characters built with 爱
Words with 爱
- 爱好àihàohobbyHSK 2
- 可爱kě'àicuteHSK 3
- 喜爱xǐ’àito likeHSK 3
- 爱人àirenspouse (mainland China)HSK 3
- 爱情àiqíng(romantic) loveHSK 4
- 爱心àixīncompassionHSK 4
- 亲爱qīn’àidearHSK 5
- 恋爱liàn’àiloveHSK 5
- 热爱rè’àito love ardentlyHSK 5
- 爱护àihùto cherishHSK 5
- 关爱guān’àito show concern and care forHSK 6
- 心爱xīn’àibelovedHSK 6
- 爱不释手àibúshìshǒuto like something so much that one is reluctant to put it downHSK 7
- 爱惜àixīto cherishHSK 7
- 爱戴àidàito love and respectHSK 7
- 偏爱piān’àito be partial towards somethingHSK 8
- 宠爱chǒng’àito dote on somebodyHSK 8
- 恩爱ēn’àiloving affection (in a couple)HSK 8
- 敬爱jìng’àito respect and loveHSK 8
- 爱慕àimùto adoreHSK 8
- 疼爱téngàito love dearlyHSK 8
Example sentences
- 他爱做运动。 Tā ài zuò yùndòng.He loves exercising.
- 孩子们爱吃西瓜。 Háizimen ài chī xīguā.Children love watermelon.
- 我爱我的母亲。 Wǒ ài wǒ de mǔqin.I love my mother.
- 中国人普遍都爱吃包子。 Zhōngguórén pǔbiàn dōu ài chī bāozi.Most Chinese love to eat baozi.