Chinese word

爱人

Pronunciation

Pinyinài rén

Meaning

  • nounspouse

Example

这是我的爱人。zhè shì wǒ de ài rén

This is my spouse.

Illustration for 爱人 (spouse)

More examples

周末我和爱人一起看电影。zhōu mò wǒ hé ài rén yì qǐ kàn diàn yǐng

On weekends, my spouse and I watch movies.

Core concept

A life partner bound by deep affection and steady mutual support, commonly a husband or wife.

Common phrases

  • 和爱人一起hé ài rén yì qǐ

    together with one's spouse

  • 介绍我的爱人jiè shào wǒ de ài rén

    introduce my spouse

Similar words

老公lǎo gōng: An affectionate everyday term for a husband.
老婆lǎo pó: An affectionate everyday term for a wife.
丈夫zhàng fū: The male partner in a marriage.
妻qī: The female partner in a marriage.

Definition in Chinese

指与自己有深厚感情并在生活上互相扶持的伴侣，通常指配偶者。zhǐ yǔ zì jǐ yǒu shēn hòu gǎn qíng bìng zài shēng huó shàng hù xiāng fú chí de bàn lǚ tōng cháng zhǐ pèi ǒu zhě

Word origin

爱人 (àirén, "beloved person") combines 爱 (ài, "love") + 人 (rén, "person"), so its literal image is a person one loves and its everyday sense commonly points to a spouse.

Usage tips

  • For English speakers, lover often suggests a secret romantic relationship, whereas this Chinese noun commonly names the person in a marriage or long-term partnership.

Other meanings

  • partnernoun
  • husbandnoun
  • wifenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word