Kilo Lingo
Part of Chapter 2

CEFR A1-A2

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Test yourself (24 questions)

喜欢 vs 爱: Saying You Like or Love Something in Mandarin

By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 27 September 2026

The everyday verb and the strong one

喜欢 (xǐhuan) and 爱 (ài) both translate as "like" or "love" in a dictionary, but they sit at different points on the same scale, and picking the wrong one is one of the fastest ways to sound either oddly flat or oddly intense in Mandarin. This pair is on the AQA GCSE specification at Foundation and Higher tier and is among the first verbs any learner meets, because "I like..." is one of the first things you ever need to say about yourself.

喜欢 (xǐhuan): the everyday word for liking

喜欢 (xǐ huan) covers almost everything English "like" covers - food, colours, hobbies, films, animals, people you get on with - and it is the default, safe choice whenever you are not certain the feeling is strong enough for 爱 (ài):

  • 。 (Wǒ xǐhuan chī píngguǒ.) - I like eating apples.
  • ？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yùndòng?) - What sport do you like?
  • 。 (Wǒ xǐhuan zhège yánsè.) - I like this colour.
  • 。 (Tā xǐhuan wǒ de péngyou.) - He likes my friend. often just "gets on with", though context can make it a crush

Like any ordinary Mandarin verb, 喜欢 needs no 很 (hěn) in front to be complete - 我喜欢猫 (wǒ xǐhuan māo, I like cats) already stands on its own. Add 很 or 非常 (fēicháng, extremely) only when you genuinely want to say "a lot" or "very much": 我很喜欢这本书 (wǒ hěn xǐhuan zhè běn shū, I like this book a lot).

爱 (ài): stronger, and narrower in what it attaches to

爱 (ài) is the word for "to love", and with a noun object Mandarin keeps it for a narrower range than English: people close to you, a country or cause, and genuine passions. 我爱披萨 (I love pizza) sounds like an advertising slogan rather than something you would say at the table.

  • 。 (Tā ài tā de tàitai.) - He loves his wife.
  • 。 (Fùmǔ ài zìjǐ de háizi.) - Parents love their own children.
  • 。 (Tā fēicháng ài tā de guójiā.) - She loves her country very much.
  • 。 (Wǒ ài nǐ.) - I love you. romantic or close family declaration

Reach for 爱 for something an English speaker would call a real passion, not a pleasant preference: 他爱音乐，一天到晚都在弹钢琴 (tā ài yīnyuè, yī tiān dào wǎn dōu zài tán gāngqín, he loves music, he plays the piano all day) describes someone whose life revolves around it, not someone who simply enjoys a song. With a verb after it, though, 爱 relaxes: 爱 + verb is the colloquial way to say someone loves doing something or does it habitually - 她爱唱歌 (tā ài chàng gē, she loves singing), 我爱吃辣 (wǒ ài chī là, I love spicy food), 他不爱说话 (tā bú ài shuōhuà, he isn't one for talking). For a hobby, 我喜欢跑步 (wǒ xǐhuan pǎobù) is the safe default; 我爱跑步 is also fine and simply sounds keener.

Both attach straight onto another verb, no linking word

The pattern GCSE students get wrong most often: both 喜欢 (xǐ huan) and 爱 (ài) can take a whole activity, not just a noun, as their object, and Mandarin needs nothing between the two verbs - no equivalent of English "to" or "-ing":

  • 。 (Wǒ xǐhuan yóuyǒng.) - I like swimming.
  • 。 (Tā ài chàng gē.) - She loves singing.
  • ，。 (Tā xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng, yě xǐhuan tīng yīnyuè.) - He likes watching films, and he also likes listening to music.

This verb-straight-after-verb habit runs through Mandarin generally - see the serial verb constructions page for the wider picture - and 喜欢 (xǐ huan) and 爱 (ài) are usually the very first place a learner meets it.

Negation: 不 (bù), never 没 (méi)

Both verbs negate with 不 (bù), placed straight in front:

  • ，。 (Wǒ bù xǐhuan kāfēi, wǒ xǐhuan chá.) - I don't like coffee, I like tea.
  • 。 (Tā bú ài shuōhuà.) - He isn't one for talking much.

Note the tone change on 不 before 爱 (it shifts to a second-tone bú, by tone sandhi, since 爱 is fourth tone) - the same shift covered on the negation page. Neither verb takes 没 (méi) for a plain "don't like"; 没 turns up only with 过 (guo) for "have never": 我从来没喜欢过 (wǒ cónglái méi xǐhuan guo), I have never liked it.

Side by side

喜欢 (xǐhuan)爱 (ài)
Strengthordinary likingstrong, "love"
Typical objectsfood, hobbies, colours, films, people you likepeople you're close to, a country, a genuine passion
Casual hobby ("I love running") (wǒ xǐ huan pǎo bù) also fine, sounds keener
Romantic/family lovetoo weak on its own for this (wǒ ài nǐ), (fù mǔ ài hái zi)
Needs (hěn) to be complete?nono

Common mistakes

  1. Reaching for (ài) + a noun the way English says "I love pizza". With a noun object Mandarin keeps 爱 (ài) for people, countries and real passions; use 喜欢 (xǐ huan) for a food you simply enjoy, or 爱 + a verb (爱吃披萨) if you want the stronger word.
  2. Hunting for a word for "to" or "-ing" before the second verb. There is none: 我喜欢游泳 (wǒ xǐ huan yóu yǒng) is complete. (去 in 我喜欢去游泳 is fine, but it adds "go", it is not a linking word.)
  3. Negating with (méi) instead of (bù). For "I don't like", 我没喜欢 (wǒ méi xǐ huan) is wrong; the correct negative is 我不喜欢 (wǒ bù xǐ huan).
  4. Adding (hěn) out of habit, as if it were an adjective. 很喜欢 (hěn xǐ huan) and 很爱 (hěn ài) are fine when you mean "a lot", but a bare 喜欢 (xǐ huan) or 爱 (ài) is already a complete sentence and needs no filler.

See also

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/6

喜欢 (xǐhuan, to like) or 爱 (ài, to love - stronger, mostly for people and passions)? Pick the one that fits naturally.

  1. 我吃苹果。 (I like eating apples.)

    wǒ ___ chī píng guǒ 。 (I like eating apples.)

  2. 他他的太太。 (He loves his wife.)

    tā ___ tā de tài tài 。 (He loves his wife.)

  3. 你什么运动？ (What sport do you like?)

    nǐ ___ shén me yùn dòng ？ (What sport do you like?)

  4. 妈妈很她的孩子。 (Mum loves her children very much.)

    mā ma hěn ___ tā de hái zi 。 (Mum loves her children very much.)

  5. 我这个颜色。 (I like this colour.)

    wǒ ___ zhè ge yán sè 。 (I like this colour.)

  6. 他们互相。 (They love each other.)

    tā men hù xiāng ___。 (They love each other.)

Fill in the blank

0/6

Complete each sentence with 喜欢 or 爱. Type pinyin or characters - tone marks optional.

  1. 我游泳。 (I like swimming.) (an activity, not a deep passion - the everyday word for liking)

    wǒ ___ yóu yǒng 。 (I like swimming.)

  2. 我你。 (I love you.) (the strong word, for a romantic declaration)

    wǒ ___ nǐ 。 (I love you.)

  3. 他不咖啡。 (He doesn't like coffee.) (an everyday preference)

    tā bù ___ kā fēi 。 (He doesn't like coffee.)

  4. 她非常她的祖国。 (She loves her homeland very much.) (a country - a genuine passion, not a casual preference)

    tā fēi cháng ___ tā de zǔ guó 。 (She loves her homeland very much.)

  5. 我这本书。 (I like this book.) (an object, everyday liking)

    wǒ ___ zhè běn shū 。 (I like this book.)

  6. 父母都自己的孩子。 (Parents all love their own children.) (family love, the strong word)

    fù mǔ dōu ___ zì jǐ de hái zi 。 (Parents all love their own children.)

Matching

0/6

Match the Mandarin sentence to its English meaning.

Translation drill

0/6

Translate into Mandarin, choosing 喜欢 for everyday liking and 爱 for people, countries or a genuine passion.

  1. I like swimming.

  2. He loves his wife.

  3. I don't like coffee.

  4. She loves her country.

  5. What sport do you like?

  6. Parents love their children.

Mandarin · Free printables

Practice worksheets and infographics

Practice worksheets with answer keys built in, plus infographic and listicle formats. Open any one to view, print or save.

Infographics

  1. Key points infographic
  2. Side by side

Other formats

  1. Listicle

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 喜欢 (xǐhuan) and 爱 (ài)?
喜欢 (xǐhuan) is the general, everyday word for 'to like' - people, food, activities, colours, almost anything. 爱 (ài) is stronger, closer to English 'love', and is used mainly for people (你爱他吗, do you love him), for a country or cause, or for a genuine, deep passion. With a noun, Mandarin does not use 爱 as casually as English uses 'love' for a snack or a song; with a verb (我爱吃辣, I love spicy food) it is everyday and informal.
Can 喜欢 or 爱 take a whole activity as their object, not just a noun?
Yes, and English speakers often go hunting for a linking word that is not there. Both verbs attach straight to another verb phrase with nothing in between: 我喜欢游泳 (wǒ xǐhuan yóuyǒng, I like swimming), 她爱唱歌 (tā ài chàng gē, she loves singing). There is no Mandarin equivalent of 'to' or 'doing' in this slot.
How do you say 'I love you' in Mandarin, and can you say it to a friend?
我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) is 'I love you', and in Mandarin it is reserved for romantic or very close family love - saying it to an ordinary friend sounds odd, the way it would in English if said too casually. For friendship warmth, Mandarin uses 喜欢 (xǐhuan) or specific words like 关心 (guānxīn, to care about), not 爱.
How do you negate 喜欢 and 爱?
Both negate with 不 (bù), placed straight in front: 我不喜欢咖啡 (wǒ bù xǐhuan kāfēi), I don't like coffee; 他不爱说话 (tā bú ài shuōhuà), he doesn't like talking much (a milder use of 爱, closer to 'isn't keen on'). In the ordinary present neither takes 没 (méi); it appears only with 过 for 'never have': 我从来没喜欢过他 (wǒ cónglái méi xǐhuanguo tā), I've never liked him.
Does 喜欢 or 爱 need 很 in front, like other Mandarin verbs?
No - 很 (hěn) is the neutral filler for adjectives, not for verbs. 喜欢 and 爱 are ordinary verbs and stand on their own: 我喜欢猫 (wǒ xǐhuan māo), I like cats, needs nothing before it. To add real intensity, Mandarin uses 很喜欢 (hěn xǐhuan, like a lot) or 非常喜欢 (fēicháng xǐhuan, like very much) - here 很 genuinely means 'a lot', because it is modifying the verb's degree, not standing in as empty padding.