verb HSK 4
Traditional 喜愛
ài
to like · to love · to be fond of

Meaning

喜爱 means to have affection for or to enjoy something or someone. It expresses a stronger feeling than 喜欢 (to like) but is less intense than 热爱 (to love passionately). It's commonly used to describe genuine fondness for hobbies, activities, people, or things.

Usage

喜爱 is slightly more formal than 喜欢 and often appears in written language, news reports, or when describing someone's preferences in a respectful way. It can be used with people, animals, activities, or objects. The pattern 深受...喜爱 (deeply loved by...) is very common in formal contexts.

Examples

  1. 01
    这位歌手深受年轻人的喜爱
    Zhè wèi gēshǒu shēn shòu niánqīng rén de ài.
    This singer is deeply loved by young people.
  2. 02
    我从小就喜爱阅读历史书籍。
    cóng xiǎo jiù ài yuèdú lìshǐ shūjí.
    I have loved reading history books since I was young.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 深受喜爱
    shēn shòu ài
    deeply loved (by many)
  • 备受喜爱
    bèi shòu ài
    much loved, well-liked
  • 喜爱的人
    ài de rén
    beloved person
  • 十分喜爱
    shí fēn ài
    to like very much

Antonyms

Origin

The word combines 喜 (happiness, joy) with 爱 (love), creating a compound that literally means 'happy love' or 'joyful affection,' representing a positive emotional attachment to something or someone.

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