Word
恋人
Meaning in Englishlover, boyfriend, girlfriend
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 恋人 mean? It refers to a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship, typically a lover or romantic partner; the term covers both male and female partners in casual and semi-formal contexts.
Main meanings
- Primary meaning: a person in a romantic relationship who is cherished as a lover or partner.
- Gender neutrality: the word does not specify gender; it can refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend depending on context.
- Emotional nuance: often implies affectionate or romantic involvement rather than casual dating.
- Usage in media: commonly appears in storytelling, songs, and conversations about relationships.
How to use it
Used to denote a person one is romantically involved with; common in everyday speech and semi-formal writing. Typical constructions include 恋人が…, 恋人と…, 恋人になった, with particles marking subject, company, or status.
Variants and close terms
- 彼氏 (kareshi) — boyfriend
- 彼女 (kanojo) — girlfriend
- 恋人同士 (koibito dōshi) — a couple, lovers
- 愛人 (aijin) — mistress or lover (note the nuance and formal register)
Composition
- 恋: romantic love, longing; used in verbs and phrases about love.
- 人: person; marks a human being; together they designate the person someone loves.
Etymology
Etymology: From 恋 meaning romantic love and 人 meaning person; together they form a noun for the person one loves, without implying marriage or long-term status.
Word class
noun (名詞)