Chinese word

情人

Pronunciation

Pinyinqíng rén

Meaning

  • nounlover

Example

他把情人介绍给了朋友。tā bǎ qíng rén jiè shào gěi le péng yǒu

He introduced his lover to a friend.

Illustration for 情人 (lover)

More examples

尽管结了婚，他还是在外面有情人。jín guǎn jié le hūn tā hái shì zài wài miàn yǒu qíng rén

Although he is married, he still has a lover outside the marriage.

Core concept

A person joined to another by romantic feeling, whether the relationship is openly acknowledged or kept outside another partnership.

Common phrases

  • 前情人qián qíng rén

    ex-lover

  • 和情人分手hé qíng rén fēn shǒu

    break up with a lover

  • 情人的照片qíng rén de zhào piān

    lover's photo

Similar words

情侣qíng lǚ: A pair of people who are romantically involved with each other.
男女朋友nán nǚ péng yǒu: An everyday term for a boyfriend or girlfriend in a dating couple.
爱人ài rén: A spouse or married partner in a close relationship.
伴侣bàn lǚ: A life partner in a close and lasting relationship, often a romantic one.

Definition in Chinese

指与自己有爱情或情感关系的人，常指恋爱中的双方，也可以作为亲密的称呼。zhǐ yǔ zì jǐ yǒu ài qíng huò qíng gǎn guān xì de rén cháng zhǐ liàn ài zhōng de shuāng fāng yě ké yǐ zuò wéi qīn mì de chēng hū

Word origin

情 (qíng, "feeling") + 人 (rén, "person") forms a noun for a person connected through romantic feeling.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word can sound literary or suggest a secret relationship, so the surrounding context matters when it refers to an ordinary romantic partner.

Other meanings

  • mistressnoun
  • affair partnernoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word