愛

Stroke order

See images of 愛
(radical 61 + 9)

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

• 僾(𫣊), 噯(嗳), 嬡(嫒), 懓(𭞄), 曖(暧), 燰(𬊺), 璦(瑷), 皧, 瞹, 薆(𫉁), 鑀, 靉(叆), 鱫, 𣜬(𪳗), 𤻅, 𥖦, 𥣁, 𥴨(𫂖), 𦆔, 𦡝(𫆫), 𧓁, 𧞇, 𨙤, 𨣥, 𩡣(𩡖), 𪇈, 𪒱, 𭩊, 𮙀

• 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

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 愛 (Written Standard Chinese^?)
• 愛 (Cantonese)
• 愛 (Classical)
• 愛 (Gan)
• Oi (Hakka)
• Ái (Eastern Min)
• Ài (Southern Min)
• 爱 (Wu)

Historical forms of the character 愛
Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script

Originally 㤅 (xì), a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *qɯːds) : phonetic 旡 (OC *kɯds) + semantic 心 (“heart”). However, the phonetic component indicates somebody kneeling with an open mouth perhaps while panting.

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

Further corruption of the top component of 𢙴 turned the original phonetic 旡 (jì) 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 (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 /*ˁə-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 *qʰˁp, “o sip”), 愾 (OC *qʰəp-s, “to sigh with regret”), 僾 (OC *qˁəp-s, “to pant”), 氣 (OC *C.qʰəp-s, “vapour; breath”).

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. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Ài ér bùjiàn, sāoshǒu chíchú.

     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. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Rén zhě ài rén, yǒulǐ zhě jìng rén. Ài rén zhě rén héng ài zhī, jìng rén zhě rén héng jìng zhī.

     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.

     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 BCE

     Xià bù yì qiú, fēi ài qiú yě, nuǎn yǒuyú yě.

     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 BCE

     Yuàn dàiwáng wú ài cáiwù.

     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 version

     Ài zhī yù qí shēng, wù zhī yù qí sǐ.

     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.

     What I like about the lotus is the fact that it grows out of pond dregs yet is not caught in the filth.

4. 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. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Shēnshēng bùgǎn ài qí sǐ.

     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. 4^th century BCE

     Qíguó suī biǎnxiǎo, wú hé ài yī niú?

     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 version

     Dú zǐ ài qí sǐ hū?

     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 edition

     Shìshàng jué méiyǒu wúyuánwúgù de ài, yě méiyǒu wúyuánwúgù de hèn.

     There is absolutely no such thing in the world as love or hatred with out 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.

    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.]

      From: (Can we date this quote?), 饒瑞軍 (lyrics), Tetsurō Oda (music), 《快樂希望》 (Hakka version of Yume Ippai), performed by 龔心怡

      khoai-lo̍k chhiu he sióng oi mak-ke chhiu tet-tó [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]

      (please add an English translation of this usage example)

12. (Hakka, Min, dated in Cantonese) to want (to do)
    • 1907, J. Dyer Ball, Cantonese Made Easy, third edition, Singapore: Kelly & Walsh, Limited, page 16:

      蠔、我愛生食。 [Cantonese, trad.]
      蚝、我爱生食。 [Cantonese, simp.]

      hou⁴, ngo⁵ oi³ saang¹ sik⁶.

      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

      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”)

• “Entry #9456”, 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., 2024.

(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)、めぐ (megu)、めぐみ (megumi)、よし (yoshi)、ちか (chika)

From Middle Chinese 愛 (MC 'ojH).

Compare modern Mandarin 愛／爱 (ài).

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

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) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
6. (Christianity) agape

• (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)”).
   • https://books.google.com/books?id=YZ46nNryMzAC&pg=PA2

Originally a compound of 真 (ma, “true, genuine”) +‎ な (na), an Old Japanese version of modern Japanese の (no, possessive particle).^[3]

The use of 愛 here is an example of ateji (当て字).

• (Tokyo) まな (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

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).