I Love You In Chinese: 4 Expressions+5 Love Codes

The phrases used to express feelings or emotions are a serious declaration of whether you are single or have a partner. If you want to confess your feelings or make your spouse happy, there are different ways to say I love you in Chinese. Using appropriate words is a great way to express affection in any language.

There are also related phrases to express similar feelings in Chinese without using these three serious words. Later in this article, you’ll learn different ways to express your feelings and cultural differences. However, by the end of this write-up, we’ll also discuss the codes to express love in Chinese. 

Part 1: The Cultural Differences In Saying I Love You In Chinese

To say I love you is common in Western culture to express feelings to family, friends, or partners. But Chinese only use these words for a special person or spouse to express love. Commonly, they believed in expressing love or care for their families or friends through actions rather than phrases. 

For example, they may ask have you eaten(吃了吗?) to say hi to a friend or family. It is a common way of showing affection or love in their culture. In the same way, if a friend is taking you to a meal, it is a way to show love for your friend. 

Part 2: How To Say I Love You In Chinese?

As Chinese people don’t say I love you straightforwardly, there are different ways or similar phrases to express your feelings. We have discussed the following popular ways of expressing love for someone in Chinese. 

我爱你 – Wǒ ài nǐ

The most common way to say I love you in Chinese is by using the phrase Wǒ ài nǐ(我爱你). For Chinese people, it is a way to express strong feelings for someone in special moments. No doubt it is a common phrase, but they don’t use it frequently. Before using these words, you must consider the following things;

• You can say these words to someone you consider having a long-term relationship with. These may be your spouse to whom you can express feelings with these words on special moments like weddings or anniversaries.

• It is not a casual phrase, as we say in English; I love my friends, or family. In Chinese, it is a strong phrase you should only use if you mean it. 

Say wǒ xiǎng nǐ

As we say I love you to friends or family to express feelings when we miss them, Chinese say wǒ xiǎng nǐ (我想你). They use the phrase in situations like separation, after departure, family ties, or friendship. It is a common and most widely used way to express emotions for someone. 

It is also used to comfort others in difficult times as an emotional support to let them know you are not alone. The literal meaning of this phrase is I miss you, but it is used in such different situations. No matter the situation, the wǒ xiǎng nǐ phrase expresses the emotional connection and closeness. 

My Heart in Chinese

The Chinese word to express the feeling of saying my heart is “心肝” (xīn gān), which means heart or darling. It is another way to express I love you in Chinese writing in different situations. This phrase has a context of expressing strong attachment or affection.

You can use these words to express feelings in a romantic relationship, referring to your child or talking of a close friend. It is mostly used to express emotions in an informal environment, like with family or close friends. 

I Like You in Chinese

If you have a crush or started to date someone, saying Wǒ ài nǐ(我爱你) is a bit awkward. Instead, you can say wǒ xǐ huān nǐ (我喜欢你) to express the feelings. It is the most common phrase to use initially that has a literal meaning I like you. 

People say this Mandarin Chinese phrase in various contexts depending on the relationship between the individuals. The most common way to use it is in a romantic relationship, but in some cases, for friendship or casual compliments. 

Part 3: Using Codes to Say I Love You In Chinese

There is also a common indirect way of expressing love in Chinese: using codes. It is a popular way to express feelings in codes that mean I love you in Chinese letters. However, the following are the codes with meanings in Chinese to express such feelings.

921: 就爱你(Jiù ài nǐ) which means I love only you

520: 我爱你(Wǒ ài nǐ) meaning I love you

530: 我想你(wǒ xiǎng nǐ) Which literally means I miss you

5201314: 我爱你一生一世(Wǒ ài nǐ yīshēng yīshì) which means I love you forever

52033 44587: 我爱你生生 世世不变心(Wǒ ài nǐ shēngshēngshìshì bù biànxīn) meaning I love you forever, I will never change my heart.

FAQs

Q1: How Do You Say I Love You So Much In Chinese?

In Chinese, to express more intense feelings, you can say 我真的很爱你(Wǒ zhēn de hěn ài nǐ). Each character of this phrase has a strong meaning to express intense feelings. It is a sincere declaration of love in Chinese at special moments for a special person. The use of this phrase is limited in Chinese. Therefore, there is a profound context behind the use of this phrase.

Q2: How Do You Say I Love You Too In Chinese?

When someone says I love you in Chinese, you can say 我也爱你” (wǒ yě ài nǐ) in response that means I love you too. However, those who prefer visual aspects of the language can use I love you in Chinese letters. Expressing the intense feelings to respond in Chinese culture shows a sincere effort in a relationship.

Summary

At different phases of a relationship, you can express your feelings using different ways to say I love you in Chinese. But as per Chinese culture, actions are more important than words. So, if you are using these phrases to express your feelings, you must show some actions testifying your efforts in relationships.

However, if you want to learn the authentic Chinese language, you can interact with Wukong. You’ll learn and understand quickly with the help of professional teaching methods. It provides all characters, language, pinyin, writing, and reading knowledge. So, start learning to express the emotions exactly in a cultural way.