{"id":26855,"date":"2026-02-04T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=26855"},"modified":"2026-02-03T18:14:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T09:14:58","slug":"expressing-love-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/expressing-love-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI love you!\u201d Expressing love in Japanese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Expressing love in Japanese is probably very different from<\/span> where you\u2019re from, particularly if you come from a Western society. If you\u2019re familiar with Japanese culture, you\u2019ll know that a lot of the language is indirect, and directly telling someone you love them isn\u2019t as common as it is in the West. Rather, it\u2019s more common to show someone how you feel through your actions, instead of verbalizing your feelings. This goes as much for familial and friendship love, as it does for romantic love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How, then, do you tell someone you love them in Japan without committing a social faux pas? Read on to learn all about expressing your love in Japanese.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Poster<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLove\u201d in Japanese <\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are two words for \u201clove,\u201d but they are used differently when expressing love in Japanese. The first is <\/span>ai<\/i><\/b> \u611b<\/b>, which is a more general word for love and encompasses romantic love, as well as love for your friends, family, possessions, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some words you will see \u611b in include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kawaii <\/i>\u53ef\u611b\u3044<\/b> \u2014 cute
<\/span>Aish\u014d <\/i>\u611b\u79f0<\/b> \u2014 pet name or nickname
<\/span>Mederu<\/i>\u611b\u3067\u308b<\/b> \u2014 to cherish, admire<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second word is<\/span> koi<\/i><\/b> \u604b<\/b>, which refers specifically to romantic love. For example, you will see this character in words such as:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koibito<\/i><\/b> \u604b\u4eba<\/b> \u2014 lover, significant other
<\/span>Koiuta<\/i>\u604b\u6b4c \u2014 <\/b>love song
<\/span>Hatsukoi <\/i>\u521d\u604b<\/b> \u2014 first love<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a word written with both the characters for love: <\/span>renai<\/i><\/b> \u604b\u611b<\/b>. This means romantic love or falling in love. For example, a love marriage, as opposed to an arranged marriage, is called <\/span>renai kekkon<\/i><\/b> \u604b\u611b\u7d50\u5a5a<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes the word <\/span>rabu <\/span><\/i>\u30e9\u30d6 is used, which is the katakana of the English word \u201clove.\u201d For example, young people say they\u2019re \u201crabu rabu \u30e9\u30d6\u30e9\u30d6\u201d when they really fall head over heels in love with each other.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\""Just<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phrases for expressing love in Japanese<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few phrases you can use to tell someone you love them, but remember to pay attention to the context to ensure that you use the right one.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kokuhaku \u544a\u767d<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you even think about how to declare your feelings in a romantic context, you should understand the culture of <\/span>kokuhaku<\/span><\/i>, or \u201cconfession.\u201d This is when you \u201cconfess\u201d your feelings for someone with the hopes of dating them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When giving the confession, it\u2019s normal to say, \u201ct<\/em><\/span>sukiatte kudasai<\/span><\/i> \u4ed8\u304d\u5408\u3063\u3066\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u201d, which means, \u201cPlease go out with me\u201d or \u201cCan we date?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tsukiaou<\/span><\/i> \u4ed8\u304d\u5408\u304a\u3046 means to \u201cgo out\u201d with the implication of dating.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without this confession, you\u2019re not technically in an exclusive relationship with the other person.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suki desu \u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059 and daisuki desu \u5927\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/span>Suki desu<\/span><\/i>\u201d means \u201cto like\u201d, so if you take someone aside and tell them, \u201csuki desu!\u201d or \u201csuki dayo!\u201d (informal), then you\u2019re saying you like them beyond just friendship. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of the time in this context, this phrase is used to mean \u201cI love you,\u201d even if the English translation is \u201cI like you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/span>Daisuki desu<\/span><\/i>\u201d means to really like or love something, so this has a similar effect as \u201csuki desu.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you are confessing your feelings for someone, you might say:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suki desu! Tsukiatte kudasai.
<\/b>\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059\u3002\u4ed8\u304d\u5408\u3063\u3066\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u3002
<\/span>I like\/love you. Can we date?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that both suki desu and daisuki desu are commonly used more generally to express you like or love something, not just in a romantic context. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aishiteru \u611b\u3057\u3066\u308b<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This technically means \u201cI love you\u201d and can only be used in a romantic context. Whether you actually say it to someone is another story because in reality, this way of declaring love is very rarely used and is extremely serious.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ways<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other ways to express love<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of other phrases you can use when expressing love in Japanese without actually saying, \u201cI love you.\u201d They\u2019re not exactly declarations of love, but if you say them to the person you like, then it can help them realize your feelings for them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Issho ni itai
<\/b>\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u3044\u305f\u3044
<\/b>I want to be with you.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aitai
<\/b>\u4f1a\u3044\u305f\u3044
<\/b>I want to see you (or literally: I want to meet you).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Futari de ik\u014d \/ issho ni ik\u014d
<\/b>\u4e8c\u4eba\u3067\u884c\u3053\u3046 \/ \u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u884c\u3053\u3046
<\/b>Let\u2019s go together.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if the person you like is talking about wanting to go to an event, you can say:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFutari de ik\u014d,\u201d or \u201cissho ni ik\u014d.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to make it more of an invite, you can say:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Issho ni ikimasenka?
<\/b>\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u3044\u304d\u307e\u305b\u3093\u304b\uff1f
<\/b>Would you like to go with me?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Valentine's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japan\u2019s unique dating culture<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to differences in culture and language, Valentine\u2019s Day is also celebrated differently. It isn\u2019t a day for men to express their love, but rather, it\u2019s a day when women give gifts to show their love for people in their lives. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, this takes the form of chocolate, of which there are three main categories:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Giri choco \u7fa9\u7406\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3<\/b>, or \u201cobligation chocolates.\u201d These are gifted to family members, acquaintances, and colleagues and hold no romantic meaning.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Tomo choco \u53cb\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3<\/b> are given by women to their female friends.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Honmei Choco\u201d \u672c\u547d\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3<\/b> is given to the person a woman has romantic feelings for.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re wondering when it goes the other way, that happens one month later on March 14, or White Day. Read more about how Valentine\u2019s Day and White Day are celebrated in Japan <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another interesting aspect of Japan\u2019s dating culture is the concept of <\/span>g\u014dkon<\/span><\/i> \u5408\u30b3\u30f3, or group dates. These are organized gatherings that bring single men and women together with the aim of matching people together romantically. Think of it like a group blind date!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dating in Japan is quite different from most Western cultures. Telling your significant other that you love them and public displays of affection aren\u2019t as common amongst Japanese couples. It might seem a bit confusing at first, but we hope this article has helped clarify how you might go about expressing love in Japanese!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can learn more Japanese expressions in our language articles<\/a>, such as Japanese you can learn from anime<\/a>. Read more about Japanese culture and society on our <\/b>blog<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Expressing love in Japanese is probably very different from where you\u2019re from, particularly if you come from a Western society. If you\u2019re familiar with Japanese culture, you\u2019ll know that a lot of the language is indirect, and directly telling someone you love them isn\u2019t as common as it is in the West. Rather, it\u2019s more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":166402,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[404],"tags":[666],"class_list":["post-26855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learn-japanese","tag-language"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26855"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208415,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26855\/revisions\/208415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}