恋
romance · in love · yearn for · miss · darling
Details
Description
Romance - a heart pulled in two. Not settled love but longing, the ache of wanting someone.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Combines 'also' (亦) with 'heart' (心), depicting a heart torn in two thinking of another. Simplified from 戀.
Symbolism
Symbolizes romantic love, passion, and longing. Represents intense emotions of missing someone and racing hearts.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Nurturing love
Component Breakdown
亦 + heart
Words & Expressions
Words written with 恋
Four-Character Compounds
籠鳥恋雲
ろうちょうれんうん
longing for freedom when tied down; caged bird's longing for the open sky
Poetry
みかの原 わきて流るる いづみ川 いつみきとてか 恋しかるらむ
The Izumi River gushes through Mika plain. When did I ever see her, that I should long for her so?
浅茅生の 小野の篠原 しのぶれど あまりてなどか 人の恋しき
Like bamboo grass on the sparse-reeded moor I hide it, and still — why does my longing for her overflow?
しのぶれど 色に出でにけり わが恋は 物や思ふと 人の問ふまで
I hid it, and yet it has shown in my face; my love, until people ask me what is on my mind.
恋すてふ わが名はまだき 立ちにけり 人知れずこそ 思ひ初めしか
Rumour that I am in love has gone around already, and I had only just begun to feel it, in secret.
由良のとを 渡る舟人 かぢを絶え ゆくへも知らぬ 恋の道かな
Like a boatman crossing the Strait of Yura who has lost his oar — this path of love, with no knowing where it leads.
恨みわび ほさぬ袖だに あるものを 恋にくちなむ 名こそ惜しけれ
Worn out with resentment, my sleeves never dry; and worse, my name will rot away in this love.
心にも あらでうき世に ながらへば 恋しかるべき 夜半の月かな
If against my will I linger on in this wretched world, I shall surely long for tonight's midnight moon.
ながらへば またこのごろや しのばれむ 憂しと見し世ぞ 今は恋しき
If I live on, will I look back fondly even on these days? The times I thought unbearable I now miss.
難波江の 葦のかりねの ひとよゆゑ みをつくしてや 恋ひわたるべき
For one night, brief as the joint of a cut reed in Naniwa Bay, must I spend myself entirely in loving you?
Anime & Manga
恋は雨上がりのように
After the Rain
'Love' in the title; a pure love story between a high school girl and a family restaurant manager.
かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
A well-known work with 恋 in its Japanese title.
その着せ替え人形は恋をする
My Dress-Up Darling
A well-known work with 恋 in its Japanese title.
中二病でも恋がしたい!
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
A well-known work with 恋 in its Japanese title.
ヲタクに恋は難しい
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
A well-known work with 恋 in its Japanese title.
Games
ときめきメモリアル
Tokimeki Memorial(1994)
Developer: Konami
Landmark dating simulation game. Nurturing love in school life.
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 恋 mean in Japanese?
恋 means romance, in love, yearn for, miss, darling. Romance - a heart pulled in two. Not settled love but longing, the ache of wanting someone.
How do you read 恋?
On'yomi: レン (REN). Kun'yomi: こ.う、こい、こい.しい (kou, koi, koishii).
How many strokes does 恋 have?
恋 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 心 (heart).
Is 恋 a good kanji for a tattoo?
恋 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means romance, in love, yearn for, miss, darling. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.