Definition
恋爱 (liàn ài) refers specifically to being in a romantic relationship or the state of romantic love — it's both a verb ('to be in love') and a noun ('romance'). Unlike 爱 (ài), which is a general verb for loving anyone or anything, 恋爱 is limited to romantic partners. As a noun, it contrasts with 爱情 (ài qíng), which is the abstract feeling of romantic love, not the relationship itself.
verb
to be in loveto have a romantic relationship
noun
romantic loveromance
Measure word · 个, 场
Examples
- 恋爱。Tāmen zhōngyú liàn ài le.They are finally in love.
- 恋爱。Nà chǎng liàn ài ràng tā chéngzhǎng le hěnduō.That romance made him grow a lot.
- 。Wǒ cónglái méi tán guo liàn'ài.I have never been in love.
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