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热爱 (rè ài) — to love deeply, to be passionate about

Definition

热爱 means to love deeply and passionately, stronger than 喜爱 ('to like / be fond of'). Often used for ideals, work, or country rather than people.

verb
to love deeplyto be passionate about

Examples

  • 热爱。
    Tā rè ài zì jǐ de zǔ guó.
    He deeply loves his motherland.
  • 热爱，。
    Tā rè ài huà huà, měi tiān dōu yào huà yí huì r.
    She is passionate about painting and paints a little every day.
  • 热爱，。
    Wǒ men rè ài shēng huó, zhēn xī měi yì tiān.
    We love life and cherish every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

热rèhot; ardent
爱àilove

热 adds warmth or intensity to 爱, giving the sense of loving ardently.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 愛; 爱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
旡
旡jì愛ài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 愛, an older shape paired 心 (heart) with 旡 as its sound part; later a foot-like 夊 was added below. The simplified 爱 is a later variant that replaces the lower part with 友.

Open 爱 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Emotions & Feelings5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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