Chinese word

一见钟情

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī jiàn zhōng qíng

Meaning

  • idiomlove at first sight

Example

他们在聚会上第一次见面就一见钟情。tā men zài jù huì shàng dì yí cì jiàn miàn jiù yí jiàn zhōng qíng

They fell in love at first sight when they first met at the party.

Illustration for 一见钟情 (love at first sight)

More examples

我对她一见钟情。wǒ duì tā yí jiàn zhōng qíng

I fell in love with her at first sight.

Core concept

A single encounter that sparks a strong personal attachment before familiarity grows.

Common phrases

  • 对她一见钟情duì tā yí jiàn zhōng qíng

    fall in love with her at first sight

  • 一见钟情的感觉yí jiàn zhōng qíng de gǎn jué

    feeling of love at first sight

Similar words

一见倾心yí jiàn qīng xīn: Feeling a powerful fondness for someone from the moment of first meeting.
情窦初开qíng dòu chū kāi: Romantic feelings beginning to awaken for the first time, especially in adolescence.

Definition in Chinese

初次见面时立刻产生爱情或强烈好感的四字成语。chū cì jiàn miàn shí lì kè chǎn shēng ài qíng huò qiáng liè háo gǎn de sì zì chéng yǔ

Word origin

一见 (yījiàn, "first sight") marks the first meeting, and 钟情 (zhōngqíng, "to become deeply attached") supplies the idea of affection becoming fixed at that moment.

Usage tips

  • The expression is person-centered and is not the usual choice for an instant preference for food, clothing, or another object.

Opposites

  • 日久生情rì jiǔ shēng qínglove that grows over timeidiom

Word lists with this word