愛

愛 U+611B, 愛 ← 愚[U+611A] CJK Unified Ideographs 愜 →[U+611C] Stroke order

愛 (Kangxi radical 61, 心+9, 13 strokes, Cangjie input 月月心水 (BBPE), four-corner 20247, composition ⿳爫冖𢖻)

• 薆 (𫉁)
• 僾 (𫣊), 噯 (嗳), 嬡 (嫒), 懓 (𭞄), 曖 (暧), 燰 (𬊺), 璦 (瑷), 皧, 瞹, 鑀, 鱫, 靉 (叆)

• 爱 (Simplified Chinese)

• 𛀃 (Hentaigana character derived from Man’yōgana)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 395, character 13
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10947
• Dae Jaweon: page 732, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2323, character 1
• Unihan data for U+611B

trad. 愛 simp. 爱 alternative forms

Originally written as 㤅. Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, *ʔˤəs): phonetic 旡 (*kəs) + semantic 心 (“heart”).

As early as the Qin dynasty, a redundant component 夊 (“foot”) was added to the bottom of the character, as with some other characters depicting people. Compare 憂 (from 㥑). Hence, the character changed into 𢙴.

Further corruption of the top component of 𢙴 turned the original phonetic 旡 into ⿱爫冖.

Based on Baxter’s (1992) Old Chinese reconstruction /*ʔɨts/, STEDT suggests that it is from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋ-(w)aːj (“to copulate; to love; to be gentle”). Compare Proto-Karen *ʔai (“to love”), whence Pa’o Karen [script needed] (ʔái, “to love”), S’gaw Karen အဲၣ် (ʼeh̀, “to love”); Southern Bai e⁴⁴ (“love”); Mizo hma-ngaih (“to love, to like”); Jingpho nwai (“to respect, to love”), ngwi (“to be gentle”); Burmese ငွေ့ (ngwe., “to be gentle, moderate”). The Chinese word is related to a Tibeto-Burman allofam without initial *ŋ-. STEDT states that an Old Chinese reconstruction of /*ʔɨjs/ for 愛 is also possible because Old Chinese rhyming does not provide direct evidence of contacts with *-t.

However, Baxter and Sagart (2014) reconstructs /*[q]ˁə[p]-s/, which ends in *-p-s instead. The Old Chinese contrast between *-p-s and *-t-s was lost at a late stage of Old Chinese. The final *-p is not reflected in the Tibeto-Burman comparandum provided by STEDT, making the likelihood that the Chinese form is related to the rest very low (Sagart, 2019). Behr (2016) suggests a derivation from a verbal root meaning “to draw in; to inhale; to suck in”, relating it to 吸 (OC *qʰ(r)əp, “to inhale”), 欱 (OC *qʰˁ[ə]p, “to sip”), 愾 (OC *qʰəp-s, “to sigh with regret”), 僾 (OC *qˁəp-s, “to pant”), 氣 (OC *C.qʰəp-s, “vapour; breath”).

愛 (OC *ʔˤəs) may also be compared with 旡 (OC *kəs) and 噯 (OC *ʔˤəs) (“to choke; to belch”), as well as 慨 (OC *kʰˤəs) and 嘅 (OC *kʰˤəs) (“sigh; sighing sound; to sigh with emotion”), perhaps through a semantic development “blocked breath; choking” → “held within; stored inside” → “unable to let go; to cherish; to value” → “to love”.

愛

1. to love 愛國／爱国 ― àiguó ― to love one’s country; to be patriotic 我愛你。／我爱你。 ― Wǒ ài nǐ. ― I love you.
   • 愛而不見、搔首踟躕。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]爱而不见、搔首踟蹰。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionÀi ér bùjiàn, sāoshǒu chíchú. [Pinyin]Loving yet not seeing her, I scratch my head, and walk back and forth in perplexity.
   • 仁者愛人，有禮者敬人。愛人者人恆愛之，敬人者人恆敬之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]仁者爱人，有礼者敬人。爱人者人恒爱之，敬人者人恒敬之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionRén zhě ài rén, yǒulǐ zhě jìng rén. Ài rén zhě rén héng ài zhī, jìng rén zhě rén héng jìng zhī. [Pinyin]A benevolent person loves others. A person of propriety shows respect to others. Those who love others are constantly loved by them. Those who respect others are constantly respected by them.
   • 吾至愛汝，即此愛汝一念，使吾勇於就死也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]吾至爱汝，即此爱汝一念，使吾勇于就死也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: 1911, Lin Juemin, Farewell Letter to Yiying (《與妻訣別書》)Wú zhì ài rǔ, jí cǐ ài rǔ yī niàn, shǐ wú yǒngyú jiù sǐ yě. [Pinyin]I love you deeply, and it is this single thought of loving you that enables me to take courage in the face of imminent death.
2. to treasure; to value 愛面子／爱面子 ― ài miànzi ― to be sensitive about one’s reputation
   • 夏不衣裘，非愛裘也，暖有餘也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]夏不衣裘，非爱裘也，暖有余也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCEXià bù yì qiú, fēi ài qiú yě, nuǎn yǒuyú yě. [Pinyin]One does not wear fur in summer not because he treasures fur, but because it is already more than warm.
   • 願大王毋愛財物。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]愿大王毋爱财物。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCEYuàn dàiwáng wú ài cáiwù. [Pinyin]Might I suggest that Your Majesty be not keenly attached to the riches.
3. to like; to be fond of; to be keen on 他愛說話。／他爱说话。 ― Tā ài shuōhuà. ― He likes to talk. 我不愛吃豬肉。／我不爱吃猪肉。 ― Wǒ bù ài chī zhūròu. ― I don’t like to eat pork.
   • 愛之欲其生，惡之欲其死。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]爱之欲其生，恶之欲其死。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionÀi zhī yù qí shēng, wù zhī yù qí sǐ. [Pinyin]You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die.
   • 予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: 1063, Zhou Dunyi, 《愛蓮說》 (On the Love for the Lotus)Yú dú ài lián zhī chū yūní ér bù rǎn. [Pinyin]What I like about the lotus is the fact that it grows out of pond dregs yet is not caught in the filth.
4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to begrudge; to be reluctant
   • 申生不敢愛其死。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]申生不敢爱其死。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionShēnshēng bùgǎn ài qí sǐ. [Pinyin]I, Shensheng, do not presume to grudge dying.
   • 齊國雖褊小，吾何愛一牛？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]齐国虽褊小，吾何爱一牛？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCEQíguó suī biǎnxiǎo, wú hé ài yī niú? [Pinyin]But though Qi be a small and narrow State, how should I grudge one ox?
   • 獨子愛其死乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]独子爱其死乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Yang Xiong, Fa Yan (Exemplary Sayings), 9 CE, translated based on Jeffrey S. Bullock’s versionDú zǐ ài qí sǐ hū? [Pinyin]Do you alone begrudge your death?
5. to be prone; to be easy to 愛發脾氣／爱发脾气 ― ài fāpíqì ― to be short-tempered 鐵愛生鏽。／铁爱生锈。 ― Tiě ài shēngxiù. ― Iron rusts easily.
6. love; affection
   • 世上決沒有無緣無故的愛，也沒有無緣無故的恨。 [MSC, trad.]世上决没有无缘无故的爱，也没有无缘无故的恨。 [MSC, simp.]From: 1942, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《在延安文藝座談會上的講話》 (Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press editionShìshàng jué méiyǒu wúyuánwúgù de ài, yě méiyǒu wúyuánwúgù de hèn. [Pinyin]There is absolutely no such thing in the world as love or hatred without reason or cause.
7. love; benevolence 遺愛人間／遗爱人间 ― yí’àirénjiān ― to leave love behind
8. something one loves; someone whom one loves 割愛／割爱 ― gē’ài ― to sacrifice something one loves to someone else
9. Honorific for someone else’s daughter; variant of 嬡／嫒 (ài). 令愛／令爱 ― lìng’ài ― your precious daughter
10. beloved 愛妻／爱妻 ― àiqī ― beloved wife 愛將／爱将 ― àijiàng ― beloved general
11. (Cantonese, Hakka, Wu, Hokkien, Teochew) to want (an object) 我唔愛咁多。 [Cantonese, trad.]我唔爱咁多。 [Cantonese, simp.]ngo5 m4 oi3 gam3 do1. [Jyutping]I don’t want that much.
    • 快樂就係 想愛麼個就得著 [Sixian Hakka, trad.]快乐就系 想爱么个就得着 [Sixian Hakka, simp.]khoai-lo̍k chhiu he sióng oi mak-ke chhiu tet-tó [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ](please add an English translation of this quotation)
12. (Hakka, Min, dated in Cantonese) to want (to do)
    • 蠔、我愛生食。 [Cantonese, trad.]蚝、我爱生食。 [Cantonese, simp.]hou4, ngo5 oi3 saang1 sik6. [Jyutping]I want to eat the oysters raw
13. (Hakka, Min) to need to; must 有一點愛注意的。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]有一点爱注意的。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]Ū chi̍t tiám ài chù-ì-ê. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]There’s one thing you must bear in mind.
14. (archaic) alternative form of 薆 / 𫉁 (ài, “ài”)
    • 愛而不見 [Classical Chinese, trad.]爱而不见 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: c. 7th century BCE, Shijing, 《邶風‧靜女》ài ér bù xiàn [Pinyin]She hides herself and does not appear.
15. a surname

• When used for people, 愛／爱 usually refers to romantic love. When used like this, older Mandarin speakers often describe the use of this term as overly 肉麻 (ròumá, “overly romantic; corny; cheesy”). For this reason, the word 喜歡／喜欢 (xǐhuan, “to like”) might be used instead. Using the word 喜歡／喜欢 (xǐhuan) literally means like, but when used in a romantic context (especially boyfriend/girlfriend), it actually means love. Compare Japanese 好き (suki). However, younger Mandarin speakers, especially those who have been in love for some time, seem to have been influenced somewhat by Western culture, and are now using the verb 愛／爱 much more often than was socially acceptable in the past.

• (to love): (literary, or in compounds) 戀／恋 (liàn)
• (to like):

• (love):

• (to want an object):

• (to want to do something):

Others:

• →? Proto-Hlai: *ʔəːp (“to love”)

• “愛”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2026.

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: あい (ai, Jōyō)、お (o)
• Kan-on: あい (ai, Jōyō)
• Kun: いつくしむ (itsukushimu, 愛しむ)、いとしい (itoshii, 愛しい)、いとおしい (itooshii, 愛おしい)、いとおしむ (itooshimu, 愛おしむ)、かなしい (kanashii, 愛しい)、おしむ (oshimu, 愛しむ)、まな (mana, 愛)、めでる (mederu, 愛でる)、うい (ui, 愛い)、うつくしい (utsukushii, 愛しい)
• Nanori: あ (a)、あい (ai)、あし (ashi)、え (e)、かな (kana)、なる (naru)、め (me)、めぐ (megu)、めぐみ (megumi)、よし (yoshi)、ちか (chika)

Kanji in this term 愛 あいGrade: 4 on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 愛 (MC ‘ojH).

Compare modern Mandarin 愛／爱 (ài).

• IPA(key): [a̠i]
• (Tokyo) あい [áꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])[1][2]

愛(あい) • (ai)

1. love 愛(あい)は強(つよ)い。Ai wa tsuyoi.The love is strong. 愛(あい)は勝(か)つ。Ai wa katsu.The love wins.
2. affection Synonym: 愛情 (aijō)
3. tenderness
4. fondness, liking Synonym: 愛想 (aiso)
5. (Buddhism) attachment, craving, desire [3] Synonyms: 愛着 (aichaku, aijaku), 渇愛 (katsuai)

• (love, generally more passionate or erotic): 恋(こい) (koi), 恋愛(れんあい) (ren’ai)

愛(あい) • (Ai)

1. a female given name
2. a surname

愛(あい) • (ai)

1. love
2. (US) short for 愛州 (“Idaho (a state of the United States)”)

Kanji in this term 愛 まなGrade: 4 kun’yomi Alternative spelling 真

Originally a compound of 真 (ma, “true, genuine”) +‎ な (na), an Old Japanese version of modern Japanese の (no, possessive particle).[4]

The use of 愛 here is an example of ateji (当(あ)て字(じ)).

• IPA(key): [ma̠na̠]
• (Tokyo) まな [màná] (Heiban – [0])

愛(まな) • (mana-)

1. before a common noun, expresses a sense of admiration or value: good, genuine; compare English the real deal
2. before a noun describing a person, expresses praise or fondness: dear, beloved

• 愛(まな)弟子(でし) (manadeshi)
• 愛(まな)娘(むすめ) (manamusume)

愛(まな) • (mana)

1. (archaic, derived from prefix sense) something dear or loved

愛(まな) • (Mana)

1. a female given name

Used as nanori in various names. 愛 is a very common element in many names.

愛(あづみ) or 愛(ああい) or 愛(あゝい) or 愛(あいか) or 愛(あいす) or 愛(あき) or 愛(あこ) or 愛(あみか) or 愛(あおい) or 愛(ありさ) or 愛(あや) or 愛(あゆ) or 愛(ちぎり) or 愛(ちか) or 愛(ちかし) or 愛(えりな) or 愛(はあと) or 愛(ひかり) or 愛(いと) or 愛(いとし) or 愛(いつみ) or 愛(いずみ) or 愛(かな) or 愛(かなえ) or 愛(かなさ) or 愛(きずな) or 愛(こころ) or 愛(こゝろ) or 愛(このむ) or 愛(まどか) or 愛(まなぶ) or 愛(まなみ) or 愛(めづる) or 愛(めご) or 愛(めぐ) or 愛(めぐみ) or 愛(めぐむ) or 愛(めい) or 愛(なる) or 愛(なるこ) or 愛(のぞみ) or 愛(らぶ) or 愛(るい) or 愛(さら) or 愛(さらん) or 愛(つぐみ) or 愛(つくみ) or 愛(うい) or 愛(よし) or 愛(よしき) or 愛(よしみ) • (Azumi or Āi or Aika or Aisu or Aki or Ako or Amika or Aoi or Arisa or Aya or Ayu or Chigiri or Chika or Chikashi or Erina or Hāto or Hikari or Ito or Itoshi or Itsumi or Izumi or Kana or Kanae or Kanasa or Kizuna or Kokoro or Konomu or Madoka or Manabu or Manami or Mezuru or Mego or Megu or Megumi or Megumu or Mei or Naru or Naruko or Nozomi or Rabu or Rui or Sara or Saran or Tsugumi or Tsukumi or Ui or Yoshi or Yoshiki or Yoshimi)

1. a female given name

From Middle Chinese 愛 (MC ‘ojH).

Historical readings Dongguk Jeongun reading Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 ᅙᆡᆼ〮 (Yale: qóy) Middle Korean Text Eumhun Gloss (hun) Reading Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2] ᄃᆞᅀᆞᆯ〮 (Yale: dòzól) ᄋᆡ〯 (Yale: ǒy)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ɛ(ː)] ~ [e̞(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [애(ː)/에(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

愛 (eumhun 사랑 애 (sarang ae))

1. hanja form? of 애 (“love”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: かなさん (kanasan, 愛さん)

• 眞

Originally a compound of 眞 (ma, “true, genuine”) +‎ な (na, apophonic form of possessive particle の (no2)).

愛 (mana) (kana まな)

1. something dear or loved

• 愛子 (manago1)
• 愛娘 (manamusume1)

• Japanese: 愛 (mana-)

愛 (ái)

1. Nôm form of ái (“to love”).
2. Nôm form of ái (“to want”).

• Dương Nhật Thanh; Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003), Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎[4] (in Tày and Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học xã hội [Social Sciences Publishing House]

愛: Hán Việt readings: ái[1][2][3][4][5], áy[4] 愛: Nôm readings: ái[1][2][3][4][5][6], áy[1][2][3][4][5][6], ải[1]

1. chữ Hán form of ái (“love”)
2. chữ Nôm form of áy (“troubled; anxious”)