愛
love · affection
Details
Description
Love - one of the most recognized kanji worldwide. Represents deep affection and compassion.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of look back, heart, and foot. Heart looking back while feet stop.
Symbolism
Love, compassion, devotion. Represents unconditional emotion and deep care for others.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents deep compassion for others, spiritual love connected to Buddhist mercy and Confucian benevolence.
Component Breakdown
Claw + cover + heart + go slowly
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
博愛主義
はくあいしゅぎ
philanthropism
相思相愛
そうしそうあい
mutual love
忠君愛国
ちゅうくんあいこく
loyalty and patriotism
愛別離苦
あいべつりく
the pain of separation from loved ones
敬天愛人
けいてんあいじん
revere heaven, love people
寵愛一身
ちょうあいいっしん
standing highest in one's master's favor; monopolizing the affection (favor) of the lord; being the lord's favorite lady
和顔愛語
わがんあいご
with a gentle face and a nice word
愛及屋烏
あいきゅうおくう
infatuation; doting
愛は盲目
あいはもうもく
Love is blind; Love makes one overlook faults
Anime & Manga
美少女戦士セーラームーン
Sailor Moon
Sailor soldiers of 'love and justice'
フルーツバスケット
Fruits Basket
Story of family love and self-love
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 愛 in its Japanese title.
可愛いだけじゃない式守さん
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie
A well-known work with 愛 in its Japanese title.
俺の妹がこんなに可愛いわけがない
Oreimo
A well-known work with 愛 in its Japanese title.
Games
ラブプラス
Love Plus
Romance game providing simulated relationship experience
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
愛新覚羅溥儀
The 愛 in Aisin-Gioro transcribes a Manchu sound, not the meaning love
The last emperor of the Qing. Aisin is Manchu for gold, and Aisin-Gioro was written with characters chosen to carry the sound; 愛 is there for how it is pronounced, not for what it means.
柳原愛子
Name contains 愛
Yanagiwara Naruko , also known as Sawarabi no Tsubone , was a Japanese lady-in-waiting of the Imperial House of Japan.
Wikipedia安東愛季
Name contains 愛
Andō Chikasue was a Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period, who was a powerful figure in the north half of Dewa Province.
Wikipedia愛姫
Name contains 愛
Megohime, or Yoshihime was a Japanese noble lady and aristocrat from the Azuchi–Momoyama period to the early Edo period.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“affection”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 愛 mean in Japanese?
愛 means love, affection. Love - one of the most recognized kanji worldwide. Represents deep affection and compassion.
How do you read 愛?
On'yomi: アイ (AI). Kun'yomi: いと.しい、かな.しい、め.でる、お.しむ、まな (itoshii, kanashii, mederu, oshimu, mana).
How many strokes does 愛 have?
愛 has 13 strokes. Its radical is 心 (heart).
Is 愛 a good kanji for a tattoo?
愛 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means love, affection. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.