爱你
ài nǐ
Love you · trad. 愛你
爱你 (ài nǐ) is a direct and strong way to say “love you” in Mandarin Chinese. While it literally means “love you,” it's most commonly used as part of the full phrase 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ), meaning “I love you.”
When to use it
Quite strong and sincere. It's primarily used in romantic relationships or to express deep, unconditional love for family members (like parents or children). For friends, or for less intense affection, 喜欢 (xǐhuan, “like”) is much more common. For example, you might say 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuan nǐ, “I like you”) to a friend or someone you're just starting to date.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “eye-NEE.” The first character, 爱, is a falling tone (like saying “aye!” in surprise), and the second, 你, is a third tone, often said with a slight dip and rise.
Other ways to say it
- 我爱你wǒ ài nǐI love you (most common full phrase)
- 我喜欢你wǒ xǐ huan nǐI like you (less intense, platonic or early romantic)
- 我很喜欢你wǒ hěn xǐ huan nǐI really like you (stronger liking)
Examples
亲爱的，我爱你。
qīn ài de ， wǒ ài nǐ 。
Darling, I love you.
妈妈，我爱你！
mā ma ， wǒ ài nǐ ！
Mom, I love you!
我爱你，永远爱你。
wǒ ài nǐ ， yǒng yuǎn ài nǐ 。
I love you, always love you.
Pro tip: In Chinese culture, 爱 (ài) carries a very strong meaning of deep, often romantic or familial, love. It's not used as casually as 'love' can be in English (e.g., 'I love pizza'). For expressing fondness or liking, 喜欢 (xǐhuan) is more appropriate.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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