Passion in Chinese
The Chinese word for passion is 热情 (rè qíng). Warm feeling: passion and enthusiasm for what you love. In traditional characters it is written 熱情.
rè qíng
Passion
What 热情 means.
热 means hot and 情 is feeling, so 热情 is feeling that burns warm. It is used for passion about a cause or work, and for warm hospitality.
- 热
- hot, warm
- 情
- feeling, emotion
Simplified and traditional
热情
熱情
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 熱情 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 热情 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
About passion in Chinese
How do you write passion in Chinese?
Passion is 热情 in Chinese, pronounced rè qíng. Passion, enthusiasm 热 means “hot, warm”, 情 means “feeling, emotion”.
How do you pronounce 热情?
Say rè (fourth tone, falling), qíng (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 热情 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 熱情, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 热情 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
Is 热情 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.