愛 means “love”

あい · ai

Also: affection, favourite

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): いとしい, かなしい, めでる, おしむ, まな
On'yomi (Chinese reading): アイ

Taught in grade 4 · 13 strokes

The story

A heart sheltered beneath grace: love in Japanese is a feeling cradled and protected from the world.

Used in many Japanese names and terms of endearment

Where it comes from

Phonetic-Semantic (形声文字): A person turning back with heart overflowing: to love is to look back.

The most beautiful kanji composition: at its center is 心 (heart). Above it, hands reaching down. Below it, feet walking away. Love is the heart that makes you turn back even as you walk away: the feeling that won't let you go.

To remember it: Heart (心) in the middle: reaching hands above, reluctant feet below. Love pulls you back.

Its parts

爪 Claw/hand · Top
冖 Cover · Center-top
心 Heart · Center
夂 Walk slowly · Bottom

A hand (爪) covering (冖) the heart (心), walking gently (夂): love

Words with 愛

愛子 (あいこ, aiko): beloved child

Example sentences

愛は大切です。 Love is important.
家族を愛しています。 I love my family.

Kanji that look like 愛

受 (receive): 受 is simpler; 愛 has 心 (heart) at the bottom for love

More from People & Life

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