Dating & Relationships in Chinese 恋爱
liàn'ài
Date, be in a relationship in Chinese is 谈恋爱 (tán liàn ài).
Also searched for as: dating, boyfriend girlfriend, I love you, relationship.
Who do you like? 15 essential dating & relationships words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The word for romance in Chinese is 恋爱 (liàn ài), and being in a relationship is 谈恋爱 (tán liàn ài), literally 'talk love'. These words cover the whole story, from 喜欢 (xǐ huan), liking someone, and the nerve-racking 表白 (biǎo bái), confessing your feelings, to 约会 (yuē huì), dates, and sometimes 分手 (fēn shǒu), breaking up. They're useful for chatting with friends, following dramas and understanding how relationships are talked about in Chinese.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 恋爱 | liàn ài | romance; to date |
| 谈恋爱 | tán liàn ài | to be in a relationship |
| 喜欢 | xǐ huan | to like |
| 爱 | ài | to love |
| 男朋友 | nán péng you | boyfriend |
| 女朋友 | nǚ péng you | girlfriend |
| 约会 | yuē huì | date |
| 表白 | biǎo bái | to confess one's feelings |
| 分手 | fēn shǒu | to break up |
| 想念 | xiǎng niàn | to miss |
| 浪漫 | làng màn | romantic |
| 感情 | gǎn qíng | feelings; relationship |
| 单身 | dān shēn | single |
| 吵架 | chǎo jià | to argue |
| 和好 | hé hǎo | to make up |
Usage tips
- Many couples rarely say 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) aloud and use 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐ huan nǐ) instead; 表白 (biǎo bái) usually means telling someone you like them before you start dating.
- You 跟 someone 谈恋爱: 他在跟一个同事谈恋爱 (tā zài gēn yī ge tóng shì tán liàn ài), he's going out with a colleague.
- 男朋友 and 女朋友 are often shortened to 男友 (nán yǒu) and 女友 (nǚ yǒu) in writing, and 对象 (duì xiàng) is a common northern word for a partner: 你有对象吗？
Common mistakes
- Learners say 我约会她 for 'I'm dating her'; 约会 doesn't take the person as an object, so say 我跟她约会 (wǒ gēn tā yuē huì) or 我们在谈恋爱.
- 女朋友 (nǚ péng you) means girlfriend in the romantic sense, so women don't use it for female friends; say 朋友 or 好朋友 (hǎo péng you).
Mini dialogue
- A你最近怎么这么开心？Nǐ zuì jìn zěn me zhè me kāi xīn?Why have you been so happy lately?
- B我有男朋友了！上个星期他向我表白了。Wǒ yǒu nán péng you le! Shàng ge xīng qī tā xiàng wǒ biǎo bái le.I've got a boyfriend! He told me how he felt last week.
- A真的吗？你们约会了吗？Zhēn de ma? Nǐ men yuē huì le ma?Really? Have you been on a date yet?
- B昨天第一次约会，我们去海边吃了晚饭，很浪漫。Zuó tiān dì yī cì yuē huì, wǒ men qù hǎi biān chī le wǎn fàn, hěn làng màn.Our first date was yesterday. We had dinner by the sea, it was really romantic.
Example sentences
- 他们恋爱三年了。They've been dating for three years.
- 她在大学里谈恋爱了。She got into a relationship at university.
- 我喜欢你很久了。I've liked you for a long time.
- 我爱你。I love you.
- 这是我男朋友小王。This is my boyfriend, Xiao Wang.
- 他有女朋友了吗？Has he got a girlfriend?
- 我今晚有个约会。I've got a date tonight.
- 他终于向她表白了。He finally told her how he felt.
- 他们上个月分手了。They broke up last month.
- 我很想念你。I miss you very much.
- 在海边吃晚饭很浪漫。Having dinner by the sea is very romantic.
- 他们俩感情很好。The two of them have a great relationship.
- 我现在还是单身。I'm still single at the moment.
- 他们昨天又吵架了。They argued again yesterday.
- 吵完架，他们很快就和好了。After their argument, they soon made up.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Dating & relationships speaking island has 8 everyday questions about dating & relationships to prepare your own answers to.