Chinese Conversation · Level 29
90 words
Chinese word
初恋
Pronunciation
Pinyinchū liàn
Meaning
- nounfirst love
Example
他一直忘不了初恋。tā yì zhí wàng bù liǎo chū liàn
He still cannot forget his first love.
More examples
回忆起初恋时，她会笑。huí yì qǐ chū liàn shí tā huì xiào
When she recalls her first love, she smiles.
Core concept
The first strong romantic feeling, whether or not it grows into a lasting relationship.
Common phrases
初恋的回忆chū liàn de huí yì
memories of first love
回忆起初恋huí yì qǐ chū liàn
recall one's first love
Similar words
暗恋àn liàn: Secret romantic love that is not openly expressed to the person involved.
单恋dān liàn: Love that one person feels when the other person does not feel the same way.
恋人liàn rén: A romantic partner in a love relationship.
爱情ài qíng: The deep romantic affection that exists between people.
Definition in Chinese
第一次出现的浪漫或迷恋的感情，未必发展为长期关系。dì yí cì chū xiàn de làng màn huò mí liàn de gǎn qíng wèi bì fā zhǎn wèi cháng qī guān xì
Word origin
The compound 初 (chū, "first") + 恋 (liàn, "romantic love") names the first occurrence of romantic attachment, whether or not it becomes a lasting relationship.
Usage tips
- The noun can describe a first-love experience or the person associated with it, so surrounding verbs and nouns usually show which meaning is intended.