爱 (ài) means "to love" with 10 strokes, radical 爫 (claw), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: to love
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
爱 is not attested in oracle bone script. The traditional form 愛 appears in bronze and seal script as a compound showing 夊 (slow walking feet) below 㤅, which combined 旡 (a person turning back with an open mouth) over 心 (heart). The image is of someone walking away while the heart lingers behind, a yearning or reluctance to part.
Form evolution
Bronze and seal forms show the heart 心 clearly at the centre, framing the character's emotional meaning. Clerical script regularised the upper components, producing traditional 愛 with 心 intact in the middle. The simplified 爱 adopted in the PRC removes the 心 and replaces the inner portion with 友 (friend), a change frequently criticised for erasing the heart from love.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest texts use 愛 for cherishing, sparing, or being reluctant to part with something. Classical usage included to love, to begrudge, and to be stingy, since all three involve not wanting to give something up. Modern Mandarin narrowed it toward affection and love, though 爱惜 (to cherish, treasure) preserves the older protective sense.
Cultural note
Critics of simplification often point to 爱 as the prime example: 简体字无心 (the simplified character has no heart). The phrase 爱不释手 (love it so much you can't put it down) uses the old sense of reluctance to let go, a meaning that sits closer to the bronze-script original than the modern word for romantic love.
Mnemonic
A hand covers a friend — love protects
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Pinyin | ài |
| Meanings | to love |
| Stroke count | 10 strokes |
| Radical | 爫 (#87: claw) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1, write by hand at HSK 1-2 |
| Frequency | #73 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 爱
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爱 | ài | to love | HSK 1 |
| 可爱 | kě’ài | Lovely | HSK 3 |
| 爱好 | àihào | hobby | HSK 2 |
| 爱情 | àiqíng | Love | HSK 4 |
| 爱心 | àixīn | love | HSK 4 |
| 亲爱 | qīn’ài | Dear | HSK 5 |
| 热爱 | rè’ài | Ardently love | HSK 5 |
| 爱护 | àihù | Care | HSK 5 |
| 爱惜 | àixī | Cherish | HSK 7-9 |
| 恋爱 | liàn’ài | Love, in love | HSK 5 |
| 疼爱 | téng’ài | Love dearly | HSK 7-9 |
| 爱不释手 | àibúshìshǒu | love something too much to part with it | HSK 7-9 |
| 爱戴 | àidài | to love and esteem | HSK 7-9 |
| 宠爱 | chǒng'ài | to dote on, to favor | HSK 7-9 |
| 慈爱 | cí'ài | affectionate, loving |
Related characters
Similar meaning (abstract)
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.