Meaning of 恋爱
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- (romantic) love
- in love
- to have an affair
Measure word: 個|个,場|场
How to use 恋爱
恋爱 is most often used in the set phrase 谈恋爱 (tán liàn'ài), to date or be in a relationship. It also works as a noun, as in 恋爱关系 (liàn'ài guānxì), a romantic relationship. Example: 他们在谈恋爱。(Tāmen zài tán liàn'ài.) They are dating.
Both characters in 恋爱 (liàn'ài) are about love. 恋 has 心 (heart) at the bottom, and 爱 (ài) is the everyday word for love, so 恋爱 is two loves stacked together: being in romantic love.
Common mistake: Learners often say 我恋爱她 to mean "I love her," but 恋爱 does not take a direct object. Use 我爱她 (wǒ ài tā), or say 我和她谈恋爱 (wǒ hé tā tán liàn'ài) for "I am dating her."
恋爱 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
恋 liàn · love · 10 strokes
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爱 ài · to love · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 恋爱.
| 爱好 | àihào | to like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby |
| 可爱 | kě'ài | adorable; cute |
| 爱情 | àiqíng | romance; love (romantic) |
| 爱人 | àiren | spouse (PRC); lover (non-PRC) |
| 热爱 | rè'ài | to love ardently; to adore |
| 爱心 | àixīn | compassion; kindness |
| 亲爱 | qīn'ài | dear; beloved |
| 喜爱 | xǐ'ài | to like; to love |
| 爱国 | àiguó | to love one's country; patriotic |
| 爱护 | àihù | to cherish; to treasure |
| 关爱 | guān'ài | to show concern and care for |
| 心爱 | xīn'ài | beloved |
Questions about 恋爱
What does 恋爱 mean?
恋爱 (liàn'ài) means "(romantic) love; in love" and is used as a verb and noun.
How do you write 恋爱?
恋爱 is made of 2 characters: 恋 (10 strokes), 爱 (10 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 恋爱 an HSK word?
Yes. 恋爱 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 恋爱 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 恋爱 is written 戀愛.
What is the difference between 恋爱 and 爱情?
爱情 (àiqíng) is the noun for romantic love as a feeling or idea, as in 爱情故事 (a love story). 恋爱 focuses on the relationship and the act of being in love, so you 谈恋爱 (date) but you have 爱情 (love).
Does 恋爱 really mean to have an affair?
In everyday modern Chinese, 恋爱 simply means a normal romantic relationship and does not suggest cheating. To talk about an affair, people usually say 外遇 (wàiyù) or 出轨 (chūguǐ).