Love in Chinese
The Chinese word for love is 爱 (ài). Direct and universally understood. In traditional characters it is written 愛.
ài
Love
What 爱 means.
爱 is the everyday word for love of every kind, as in 我爱你, “I love you”. In the traditional form 愛 the heart (心) sits in the middle; the simplified form dropped it, and many people choose 愛 for a tattoo for that reason.
- 爱
- love
Simplified and traditional
爱
愛
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 愛 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 爱 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
About love in Chinese
How do you write love in Chinese?
Love is 爱 in Chinese, pronounced ài. Love
How do you pronounce 爱?
Say ài (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 爱 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 愛, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 爱 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
Is 爱 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. As a single character it works even at small sizes. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.