愛 meaning and stroke order
To love, to like, to be fond of; love, affection
How to write 愛, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 愛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to love; to be fond of; to like
- affection
- to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen)
How 愛 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To bring a lover 心 into one's house 冖.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 愛
Picture a hand 爫 at the top bringing a lover's heart 心 under the roof 冖 of one's house, with 夂 (walking feet) below. Love is welcoming someone's heart into your home.
愛 (ài) is the traditional form of 爱. It is used as a verb for loving people and for liking activities, and it can also mean "tend to" do something. Example: 我愛你。(Wǒ ài nǐ.) I love you.
Common mistake: Learners often leave out the heart 心 in the middle, which turns the character into the simplified 爱 with 友 at the bottom. Remember that 愛 keeps 心 and ends with 夂.
Common words with 愛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 愛好 | àihào | to like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby | HSK 1 |
| 可愛 | kě'ài | adorable; cute | HSK 2 |
| 愛情 | àiqíng | romance; love (romantic) | HSK 2 |
| 愛人 | àiren | spouse (PRC); lover (non-PRC) | HSK 2 |
| 熱愛 | rè'ài | to love ardently; to adore | HSK 3 |
| 愛心 | àixīn | compassion; kindness | HSK 3 |
| 親愛 | qīn'ài | dear; beloved | HSK 4 |
| 喜愛 | xǐ'ài | to like; to love | HSK 4 |
| 愛國 | àiguó | to love one's country; patriotic | HSK 4 |
| 愛護 | àihù | to cherish; to treasure | HSK 4 |
| 戀愛 | liàn'ài | (romantic) love; in love | HSK 5 |
| 關愛 | guān'ài | to show concern and care for | HSK 6 |
| 心愛 | xīn'ài | beloved | HSK 7-9 |
| 敬愛 | jìng'ài | to respect and love; to hold in high esteem | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 愛
How many strokes are in 愛?
愛 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 愛 mean?
愛 (ài) means to love, to like, to be fond of; love, affection. A common word with it is 爱好 (àihào), meaning "to like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby".
How do you pronounce 愛?
愛 is pronounced ài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 愛?
The radical of 愛 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 愛 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 愛?
愛 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 爱, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can 愛 mean something other than love?
Yes. Before a verb it can mean "to tend to" or "to be prone to," as in 愛哭 (ài kū), to cry easily. It often describes a habit, sometimes a slightly annoying one.
What is the difference between 愛 and 喜歡 (xǐhuan)?
愛 (ài) is stronger and is used for deep love toward people, country, or a passion. 喜歡 (xǐhuan) is the everyday word for liking something. For casual preferences, 喜歡 sounds more natural.