Chinese word

单恋

Pronunciation

Pinyindān liàn

Meaning

  • noununrequited love

Example

他对她的单恋没有结果。tā duì tā de dān liàn méi yǒu jié guǒ

His unrequited love for her came to nothing.

Illustration for 单恋 (unrequited love)

More examples

他把自己的感情埋在默默的单恋里，不敢说出来。tā bǎ zì jǐ de gǎn qíng mái zài mò mò de dān liàn lǐ bù gǎn shuō chū lái

He buried his feelings in silent unrequited love and did not dare to say anything.

Core concept

Love moving in only one direction, from an admirer toward someone who does not return the feeling.

Common phrases

  • 对某人的单恋duì mǒu rén de dān liàn

    unrequited love for someone

  • 默默的单恋mò mò de dān liàn

    silent unrequited love

  • 无望的单恋wú wàng de dān liàn

    hopeless unrequited love

Similar words

暗恋àn liàn: A secret romantic liking for someone, kept hidden from that person.
单相思dān xiāng sī: One-sided romantic longing that continues as one person keeps thinking about the other.

Definition in Chinese

单恋是一个人单方面对另一个人怀有爱情或好感，但这种爱情没有得到对方的回应或回报的状态。dān liàn shì yí gè rén dān fāng miàn duì lìng yí gè rén huái yǒu ài qíng huò háo gǎn dàn zhè zhǒng ài qíng méi yǒu dé dào duì fāng de huí yìng huò huí bào de zhuàng tài

Word origin

单恋 (dānliàn, "unrequited love") combines 单 (dān, "single") with 恋 (liàn, "romantic attachment"), presenting love as belonging to one person rather than being shared.

Usage tips

  • English crush can describe an attraction that might be temporary or mutual, while this Chinese word specifically marks the lack of a response from the other person.

Related words

  • 单恋者dān liàn zhěunrequited lovernoun

Word lists with this word