爱 meaning and stroke order
To love; to be fond of; to like; affection; to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen)
How to write 爱, stroke by stroke
10 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 爱
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 爱 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To bring a friend 友 into one's house 冖.
Radical: 爫 (claws), shared by 7 characters on this site.
How to remember 爱
Read 爱 from top to bottom: a hand 爫 reaching down, a roof 冖, and a friend 友 underneath. Bringing a friend into your home under your roof is an act of love.
爱 (ài) is a common verb for loving people, places, and things. It can also mean "to like doing" something or "to tend to" do it. Example: 我爱我的家。(Wǒ ài wǒ de jiā.) I love my family.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom part as 又 or forget the 冖 roof. The simplified form ends in 友 (yǒu, friend), and the 冖 sits between 爫 and 友. Also note that 爱人 (àiren) means "spouse" in mainland China, not just "lover."
Common words with 爱
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爱好 | àihào | to like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby | HSK 1 |
| 可爱 | kě'ài | adorable; cute | HSK 2 |
| 爱情 | àiqíng | romance; love (romantic) | HSK 2 |
| 爱人 | àiren | spouse (PRC); lover (non-PRC) | HSK 2 |
| 热爱 | rè'ài | to love ardently; to adore | HSK 3 |
| 爱心 | àixīn | compassion; kindness | HSK 3 |
| 亲爱 | qīn'ài | dear; beloved | HSK 4 |
| 喜爱 | xǐ'ài | to like; to love | HSK 4 |
| 爱国 | àiguó | to love one's country; patriotic | HSK 4 |
| 爱护 | àihù | to cherish; to treasure | HSK 4 |
| 恋爱 | liàn'ài | (romantic) love; in love | HSK 5 |
| 关爱 | guān'ài | to show concern and care for | HSK 6 |
| 心爱 | xīn'ài | beloved | HSK 7-9 |
| 敬爱 | jìng'ài | to respect and love; to hold in high esteem | HSK 7-9 |
爱 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 爱
Learning 爱 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 爱
How many strokes are in 爱?
爱 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 爱 mean?
爱 (ài) means to love; to be fond of; to like; affection; to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen). 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 爱?
爱 is pronounced ài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 爱?
The radical of 爱 is 爫, which carries the idea of "claws". Dictionaries list 爱 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 爱?
The traditional form of 爱 is 愛. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 爱 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 爱 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 爱 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 爱 and 喜欢?
喜欢 (xǐhuan) means "to like" and is lighter and more everyday. 爱 (ài) is stronger and is used for deep love or real passion. To a new crush, 我喜欢你 sounds more natural than 我爱你.
Can 爱 mean "tends to" or "often"?
Yes. Before a verb, 爱 can describe a habit or tendency, often a slightly annoying one. For example, 他爱迟到 (tā ài chídào) means "he tends to be late."