Lover in Chinese / Japanese...

Any woman with affection for Asian art will love a gift of this Chinese proverb calligraphy on a wall scroll.

She will melt in your arms as you tell her the meaning of these characters.

Contained in this phrase is a reference to the most beautiful woman in Chinese history. Her name was Xi Shi, and she was known to have good looks that need not have fine robes or makeup. Her charms were so powerful that she brought down an entire kingdom (in a successful effort to bring honor and pride back to her people).

情人眼里出西施 is a great way to express that the woman in your life is your one love.

思戀 is a term used for when you miss a lover.

It suggests that you are separated (not by choice) and have longed for each other. It's a strong feeling of missing your lover.

戀人 means lover, sweetheart, or beloved in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This term is gender-neutral, so that anyone can use it.

In modern Japan and China, the first character has been simplified. We suggest the traditional version, as shown above if your audience is Chinese or Korean. However, this generation of Japanese are more likely to recognize the simplified version. If you want this simple (modern Japanese) version, please click on the image shown to the right, instead of the button above.

愛人 means lover, sweetheart, spouse, husband, wife, or beloved in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

The first character means “love,” and the second means “person.”

This title can be used in many different ways, depending on the context. Husbands and wives may use this term for each other. But, if you change the context, this title could be used to mean “mistress.” It's pretty similar to the way we can use “lover” in many different ways in English.

In modern Japan, this lover title has slipped into the definition of mistress and is not good for a wall scroll.

情人 means lover, sweetheart, or beloved in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

This term is gender-neutral so anyone can use it.

Please note that this term can easily be read or used to mean “mistress” or the kind of lover you have an affair with (especially in Japanese). The context in which this word is used affects the actual meaning. Husbands and wives or boyfriends and girlfriends can also use this term for each other with no ill meaning.

This literally translates as “the red string” or “the red thread” in Japanese, but the real meaning is much deeper...

In Japanese culture, it's believed that fate, destiny, or karma joins lovers by an unseen string, tied around one little finger of each. 赤い糸 is how soul mates find and are drawn to each other.

The Japanese concept of the red thread of fate, by most estimations, comes from Chinese folklore, where it's known as 姻緣紅線. The only difference is that in China, the celestial red thread is tied around the ankles of the lovers (versus what is usually represented as the pinky finger in Japan).

有緣千里來相會 means that fate or destiny has caused us to meet from a thousand miles away.

The 有緣 part suggests something that is connected as if by a thread due to fate, destiny, or karma.

This romantic phrase is seen in Chinese greeting cards. It relays the idea that your love was meant to be and that you were destined to meet (regardless of what distance or obstacles might have made such a meeting unlikely).

See Also:  Red Thread