Meaning
愛 means love, affection, and deep care. Its range is wide — from romantic love and parental devotion to fondness for hobbies and attachment to treasured possessions.
Structurally, 愛 is a compound ideograph built around the radical 心 (kokoro) — "heart" or "mind" — embedded at its center. Above sits 旡, a component depicting a person turning or pausing. Below is 夂, suggesting slow, deliberate movement. Together, these elements sketch a person whose heart makes them stop and linger. The character itself seems to say: love is what slows you down.
With 13 strokes, 愛 is a Grade 4 kanji — Japanese children learn it around age 9–10. Its early place in the curriculum reflects how central love and care are to Japanese cultural values. At JLPT N2, expect to see it in formal writing, everyday speech, and everything between.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The main on'yomi is アイ (ai), borrowed from Middle Chinese. Nearly all common 愛 compounds use this reading — it appears in words for romantic love, civic devotion, and personal attachment.
- 愛情 (aijō) — love, affection (the warm feeling one has toward another person)
- 愛国 (aikoku) — patriotism, love of one's country
- 恋愛 (ren'ai) — romantic love, falling in love
- 親愛 (shin'ai) — dear, beloved (used in formal letters, e.g., 親愛なる〜)
- 博愛 (hakuai) — universal love, philanthropy, benevolence
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi readings appear mainly in literary and poetic contexts, capturing emotional shades that compound words don't fully convey.
いとしい (itoshii) — An adjective meaning "dear, beloved, precious." It carries a tender, almost aching fondness — the feeling toward someone held close to your heart. Mostly found in poetic or literary writing.
- 愛しい人 (itoshii hito) — a beloved person
- 愛しい我が子 (itoshii waga ko) — my beloved child
めでる (mederu) — A verb meaning "to love, to admire, to appreciate the beauty of." Formal and literary in tone, it describes a love rooted in aesthetic appreciation.
- 花を愛でる (hana wo mederu) — to appreciate flowers
- 自然を愛でる (shizen wo mederu) — to cherish nature
おしむ (oshimu) — Written with 愛, this reading means "to treasure, to be reluctant to part with." It suggests a love so strong you can't bear to let something go.
- 命を愛しむ (inochi wo oshimu) — to treasure one's life
Common Words & Compounds
愛 turns up in compounds across a wide range of themes. These are the most useful ones to know.
Romantic and Emotional Love
- 恋愛 (ren'ai) — romantic love, being in love
- 愛情 (aijō) — love, affection, deep caring
- 愛人 (aijin) — lover (in modern usage, often implies an extramarital affair)
- 愛着 (aichaku) — emotional attachment, deep fondness
Care, Protection, and Devotion
- 愛護 (aigo) — care, protection (e.g., animal welfare: 動物愛護)
- 愛育 (aiiku) — raising a child with love
- 親愛 (shin'ai) — dear, beloved (used in formal salutations)
Fondness and Hobbies
- 愛用 (aiyō) — a favorite item, something one regularly relies on
- 愛読 (aidoku) — a beloved book; avid reading
- 愛好 (aikō) — enthusiasm for something (愛好家 = hobbyist, enthusiast)
- 愛犬 (aiken) — one's beloved dog
- 愛車 (aisha) — one's beloved car
Social and Civic Love
- 愛国 (aikoku) — patriotism (愛国心 = patriotic spirit)
- 博愛 (hakuai) — universal love, philanthropy
- 自愛 (jiai) — self-love; also used in letters to mean "take care of yourself"
Example Sentences
彼女は犬を深く愛している。
Kanojo wa inu wo fukaku ai shite iru.
She deeply loves her dog.
愛情を持って子供を育てることが大切です。
Aijō wo motte kodomo wo sodateru koto ga taisetsu desu.
Raising children with love and affection is what matters.
二人は恋愛の末に結婚した。
Futari wa ren'ai no sue ni kekkon shita.
The two married after a long romantic relationship.
彼は愛国心が強い人だ。
Kare wa aikokushin ga tsuyoi hito da.
He has a strong sense of patriotism.
この財布は十年も愛用している。
Kono saifu wa jūnen mo aiyō shite iru.
This wallet has been my go-to for ten years.
彼女は動物愛護の活動に熱心だ。
Kanojo wa dōbutsu aigo no katsudō ni nesshin da.
She's passionate about animal welfare.
親愛なる田中さんへ、お元気ですか。
Shin'ai naru Tanaka-san e, ogenki desu ka.
Dear Mr. Tanaka, how are you?
自愛してください、寒い季節ですから。
Jiai shite kudasai, samui kisetsu desu kara.
Please take care of yourself — it's cold season.
愛しい我が子の笑顔が私の生きがいだ。
Itoshii waga ko no egao ga watashi no ikigai da.
My child's smile is my reason for living.
彼は音楽愛好家として知られている。
Kare wa ongaku aikōka to shite shirarete iru.
He's known as a music enthusiast.
Memory Tip
Look at 愛's structure and build a story: a person (旡, top) whose heart (心, middle) slows their feet (夂, bottom). Love, the character suggests, is what stops you from walking away. Once that image clicks, the character sticks.
Vietnamese learners have an extra hook: the Hán-Việt reading ÁI appears in familiar words — ái tình (love) and bác ái (benevolence). Those words act as an instant anchor for the kanji.