How to Say "my love" in Chinese

Quick Answer

The most common equivalent of “my love” or “darling” in Chinese is 亲爱的 (qīn ài de) — literally “dear/beloved one.”

You can also say 我的爱 (wǒ de ài) — “my love” — but this is more literary than conversational.

How to Pronounce 亲爱的

• 亲 (qīn) — 1st tone: flat and high, like “chin” sustained
• 爱 (ài) — 4th tone: sharp falling
• 的 (de) — neutral tone: soft, unstressed “duh”

Say it: “cheen-AY-duh”

Chinese Terms of Endearment

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Meaning	Usage
亲爱的	qīn ài de	Dear one / Beloved	Formal-ish, in messages and speeches
宝贝	bǎo bèi	Baby / Treasure	Most popular couple pet name
老公/老婆	lǎo gōng/pó	Husband / Wife	Common even while dating
小甜甜	xiǎo tián tián	Little Sweetness	Affectionate, cute
亲	qīn	Dear (shortened)	Common in text messages
我的心肝	wǒ de xīn gān	My heart and liver	Old-fashioned but poetic
傻瓜	shǎ guā	Silly goose / Fool	Teasing pet name between couples

The Most Used: 宝贝

宝贝 (bǎo bèi) — “baby/treasure” — is the dominant pet name in modern Chinese relationships, used the way English speakers use “babe” or “baby.” It’s warm, widely understood, and completely natural.

宝贝，我回来了！— Bǎo bèi, wǒ huí lái le! — “Baby, I’m home!” 宝贝，你吃饭了吗？— Bǎo bèi, nǐ chī fàn le ma? — “Babe, have you eaten?”

Using 亲爱的

亲爱的 is more formal and written — you’ll see it at the beginning of letters (like “Dear…”) and hear it in emotional speeches or declarations:

亲爱的，谢谢你一直陪着我。— Qīn ài de, xiè xie nǐ yī zhí péi zhe wǒ. — “My love, thank you for always being by my side.”

Examples in Sentences

1. 亲爱的，我爱你。 — Qīn ài de, wǒ ài nǐ. — “My love, I love you.”
2. 宝贝，你在哪里？ — Bǎo bèi, nǐ zài nǎ lǐ? — “Baby, where are you?”
3. 我的傻瓜，你又忘记了吗？ — Wǒ de shǎ guā, nǐ yòu wàng jì le ma? — “My silly one, you forgot again?”

Cultural Context

Chinese romantic language tends to be expressed more in actions and implications than in flowery words. However, WeChat messages between couples are often warm, playful, and affectionate — emoji-heavy and full of 宝贝 and 亲.

Social media declarations of love (晒恩爱 shài ēn ài — “showing off your love”) are extremely popular on platforms like WeChat Moments and Weibo — posting couple photos and affectionate messages publicly.

Practice

Send a sweet message using a pet name:

宝贝，今天过得好吗？我想你。 Baby, how was your day? I miss you.