1. Introduction
Love is a universal language, but the way it’s expressed can vary greatly from culture to culture. In Japan, there are many ways to say “I love you” and each has its own nuances and connotations. To help you express your feelings in Japanese, we’ll look at several ways to say “I love you” in Japanese as well as some of the common misconceptions about saying those three special words in Japanese.
2. Japanese Language Overview
Japanese is the official language of Japan, spoken by nearly 125 million people worldwide. It’s a language that has been heavily influenced by Chinese, which makes it quite different from English and other Western languages. In particular, the grammar structure of Japanese is very different from English and other Western languages. As a result, there are many nuances and subtleties when it comes to expressing feelings in Japanese that may not be immediately obvious to non-native speakers.
3. Different Ways To Say “I Love You” in Japanese
The most direct way to say “I love you” in Japanese is Aishiteru (愛してる). This phrase is often used between couples or close friends and family members, but it can also be used as a general expression of love for anyone or anything. Another common phrase for expressing love is Suki desu (好きです), which literally translates to “I like you/it” but can also be used to mean “I love you/it” depending on context.
4. Using Honorifics With I Love You In Japanese
In addition to these two phrases, there are also several honorific phrases that can be used when expressing love in Japanese. The most common honorific phrase is Anata o aishiteimasu (あなたを愛しています), which literally translates to “I am loving you” but carries the same meaning as Aishiteru (愛してる). Other honorific phrases include Watashi wa anata o daisuki desu (私はあなたを大好きです) which means “I really like you/love you” and Anata no koto ga suki desu (あなたのことが好きです) which means “I like/love what about you”.
- Hart, Christopher (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 07/07/2015 (Publication Date) - Drawing with Christopher Hart (Publisher)
- Shinjuku Press (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages - 05/02/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- Yoai, Yoai (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 08/24/2021 (Publication Date) - Rock Point (Publisher)
5. How To Write “I Love You” in Japanese Kanji
In addition to speaking these phrases out loud, it is also possible to write them using kanji characters—the traditional characters used by the Japanese written language. The kanji character for Aishiteru (愛してる) is 愛 meaning “love” combined with 的 meaning “target”. Similarly, the kanji character for Suki desu (好きです) is 好 meaning “like” combined with 気 meaning “feeling”. These kanji characters can then be written on cards or gifts as a way of expressing your feelings towards someone else without having to actually say them out loud!
6. Common Misconceptions About Saying I Love You in Japanese
Despite the fact that there are several ways of saying “I love you” in Japanese, there are still some common misconceptions about how this phrase should be expressed in this language. One misconception is that simply saying Aishiteru (愛してる) or Suki desu (好きです) will automatically make someone fall madly in love with you—this simply isn’t true! Additionally, some people believe that using honorifics such as Anata o aishiteimasu (あなたを愛しています) will make their relationship more formal—but this isn’t necessarily true either!
7 Examples of I Love You In Context
To give some examples of how these phrases might sound when said out loud:
A: Anata o aishiteimasu! (あなたを愛しています！） – I am loving you!
B: Watashi wa anata o daisuki desu! （私はあなたを大好きです！） – I really like/love you!
C: Aishiteru! （愛してる！） – I love you!
D: Anata no koto ga suki desu （あなたのことが好きです） – I like/love what about you!
8 Conclusion
Expressing your feelings towards someone else doesn’t have to be intimidating—especially if they speak the same language as you do! By understanding how to say “I love you” in different ways using both words and kanji characters, it’s easy for anyone who speaks or reads even basic levels of Japanese to express their feelings in this beautiful language. Whether it’s between lovers or friends and family members, expressing your feelings through words has never been easier—in any language!
. Resources
>
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10011365061000/k10011365061000.html https://www3e-navi-english-japanese-dictionary-bloggercom-.blogspotcom/2007/08/i-love-you-in-japanesehtml https://wwwjapantimescojp/life/20190329/how-to-say-i-love-you-in-japanese/#_=_
Does Suki mean love?
Express love in Japanese. The first is suki (好き). The latter is easier to use than the other three. It expresses love rather than literal love and is usually translated as English. So it can be used both between friends and partners.
How to say I love you in Japanese anime?
Ai shiteru
Ai shiteru. The most literal way to say I love you in Japanese is ai shiteru (愛してる / あいしてる ), or ai shiteru yo for emphasis. This is the phrase you might know from anime or textbooks.
Does Arigato mean I love you?
- Banno, Eri (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 02/01/2020 (Publication Date) - Japan Times (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- George Trombley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 376 Pages - 08/22/2014 (Publication Date) - Learn From Zero (Publisher)
- ToWin, Explore (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 463 Pages - 10/18/2024 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
Japanese people dont usually tell their loved ones that they love them. Instead of saying Ai shirotu yo we say arigato when we thank each other.
Japanese women often show their love with handmade chocolates decorated with honmeicho or expensive sweet boxes. Women sometimes give small boxes of kiri choko or obligatory chocolates to male colleagues.
How do Japanese confess their love?
However the most basic and common expression of gratitude is tsuki desu (好きです I love you) usually followed by tsukiatte kudasai (上合でんます Please come out with me).
What do Japanese call their BF or GF?
Koibito (爱情人/こいびと) is the Japanese word for love or mistress. It includes the characters 爱 (恋) and 人 (人). It can be used for girlfriend or boyfriend or husband or wife. The term can be used regardless of your significant others gender.