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The most commonly used expression of “I love you” in Mandarin is “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ)”, but this expression is different in different Chinese dialects. China is a language diverse nation. That is why there are many methods to say “I love you”. Let’s learn to express the “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you” in different Chinese dialects.
Say “我爱你 (Wǒ Ài Nǐ) I Love You” in Mandarin (Different Chinese Dialects)
1. Mandarin “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”
Say “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ)” in Mandarin or standard Chinese. This is the most common and standard way to say “I love you” to someone.
Essentially, standard Chinese is equivalent to Mandarin. There are more native speakers of Mandarin than native speakers of other Chinese dialects. Furthermore, Mandarin is prevalent in most parts of north and southwest China.
Write “我爱你” in Chinese characters.
Pronounced as whoah AI nee.
2. Cantonese “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”
Cantonese is called “ngóh oi néih”. If you want to talk or write to someone who speaks Cantonese,.it is most appropriate to use this phrase to tell the other person “I love you”.
Cantonese is another common dialect, but it is mainly used in southern China. Many people in Hong Kong and Macao also speak Cantonese.
Write “我爱你” in Chinese characters.
Pronounced as na(wh) OI nay.
3. Hakka dialect “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”
Hakka dialect is called “ngai oi ngi”. For Hakka speakers, you should say “I love you” in this way.
Only the Han people living in Hunan, Fujian, Sichuan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, and Guangdong provinces speak Hakka. Some parts of Hong Kong and Taiwan Province also use this dialect.
Write in Chinese characters “我爱你”
Pronounced as nai OI nee.
4. Shanghai dialect “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”
Shanghai dialect is called “nguh eh non”. Shanghai dialect speakers use this expression to express “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”.
Only the residents of Shanghai and surrounding areas use Shanghainese.
Write “侬爱你” in Chinese characters.
Pronounced as nuhn EH nohn.
5. Taiwanese “我爱你(wǒ ài nǐ) I love you”
In Taiwanese, it is called “góa ài lì”. This is the most appropriate way to say “I love you” in Taiwanese.
Taiwanese is mainly used in Taiwan Province, and about 70% of the population in Taiwan Province speaks Taiwanese.
Write “我爱你” in Chinese characters.
Pronounced as gwah AI lee.
Above, we have tackled how to say “I love you” in different Chinese dialects. Have you learned it? You should opt to learn at least one version! After all, it will come in handy On special festivals, such as Valentine’s Day in the West, Chinese Valentine’s Day in China, or Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. It is very romantic to say “I love you” to each other in different Chinese dialects!
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