Expressing Love in Japanese Culture
When you are interested in a culture and start learning a new language, for some reason, the word “love” and the phrase “I love you” are some of the first people usually want to know and remember. Maybe this is why you are now reading the article. While love may be universal, the ways to express it differ in every culture. The cultural norm regarding the expression of feelings of love in Japanese culture may be very different from what you are used to — so be sure to read this article before declaring your flame!
The Vocabulary of Love in Japanese
In Japanese, “love” is “ai” [愛], from which the word “aijou” [愛情], which means “affection,” comes from. Another word for “love” is “koi” [恋], which is more about romantic or passionate love. The two kanji for “koi” and “ai” put together are read “ren-ai” [恋愛], which is also another word for love, often used to say if you are in a romantic relationship.
In Japanese, there are many ways to say, “I love you.” The translation you will find most often is “aishiteru” [愛してる]. However, you need to know that in Japanese culture, this word conveys deep, serious feelings. It is a beautiful word that tends to be more used in written form than in spoken language. In general, Japanese people hardly say it.
