The Japanese kanji for love is 愛, read ai. Thirteen strokes, one character, with the heart radical 心 sitting in the middle of it. You will see it on wedding announcements, on song titles, and on more tattoos than any other kanji in the language. In everyday Japanese it is also a formal, weighty word, which is worth knowing before you commit it to skin.
The Kanji at a Glance
- Character: 愛
- On’yomi: アイ (ai)
- Kun’yomi: いと(しい) (itoshii, “dear, beloved”). Dictionaries also list まな (mana), which survives in 愛娘 (manamusume, a cherished daughter). Neither is an official jōyō reading. In practice, 愛 is read ai.
- Stroke count: 13
- General meaning: love, affection, devotion, to cherish
- Radical: 心 (heart), tucked into the middle of the character rather than at the side
Meaning and Nuance
愛 is the large word. Conversational Japanese usually reaches for something smaller: 好き (suki, “fond of”) does most of the work English gives to “love,” and 大好き (daisuki) covers “I love it.” Saying 愛してる (aishiteru, “I love you”) out loud is rare enough that couples married for decades may never say it. So the character reads as sincere and a little grand, never casual.
There is a second distinction Japanese teachers like to draw. 恋 (koi) is longing, the wanting kind of love, the ache. 愛 is the giving kind, the love that stays after the ache settles. Put them together and you get the ordinary modern word for romance.
Three real compounds show the range:
- 恋愛 (ren’ai): romantic love, 恋 and 愛 side by side.
- 愛情 (aijou): affection, the warm feeling itself, used for parents and children as readily as for partners.
- 愛犬 (aiken): a beloved dog. The same pattern gives 愛車 (aisha, a cherished car) and 愛読書 (aidokusho, a favorite book). 愛 attaches to whatever you devote yourself to, not only to people.
That last group is the useful clue. 愛 is closer to devotion than to romance. It is the same instinct behind kodawari, the refusal to be casual about something you care for.
As a Tattoo
愛 works well as a single character. Thirteen strokes give it visual weight and a clear center of gravity, so it holds up at forearm scale and stays legible when it is small. It is also the most common kanji tattoo in the West, which cuts both ways: instantly readable, rarely surprising.
Never pair 愛 with 人. 愛人 (aijin) does not mean “the person I love.” It means a mistress or a kept lover. This is the single most common way this character goes wrong on skin. The same caution applies to any pairing you have not checked in a dictionary, because kanji compounds are words in their own right, not additions.
Watch the form. Mainland simplified Chinese writes this character as 爱, which drops the 心 component entirely. Japanese and traditional Chinese keep 愛 with the heart inside. If a flash sheet or a font shows 爱, it is not the Japanese form.
For style, a brushed semi-cursive rendering suits 愛 because the upper strokes want to flow; a printed mincho form looks colder but stays crisper over years of ink spread. Vertical placement along the spine or forearm follows how the character is actually written. Confirm with a native speaker before you ink.
Build and preview a design with the Japanese Tattoo Generator, and read the wider symbolism in our guide to japanese tattoo meanings.
Related Kanji
FAQ
What is the kanji for love?
The kanji for love is 愛, read ai. It has 13 strokes and contains the heart radical 心. It covers love, affection, and devotion, and it appears in words like 恋愛 (ren’ai, romantic love) and 愛情 (aijou, affection).
What is the difference between 愛 and 恋?
恋 (koi) is longing and infatuation, the love that wants something. 愛 (ai) is settled, giving love. The compound 恋愛 (ren’ai) joins both and is the ordinary word for a romantic relationship.
Is the kanji for love the same in Chinese and Japanese?
The Japanese form 愛 matches traditional Chinese. Simplified Chinese uses 爱, which removes the 心 heart component. If you want the Japanese character, use 愛.
Is a 愛 tattoo offensive in Japan?
The character itself carries no offense. Tattoos in general still carry stigma in Japan, and many onsen and gyms restrict inked guests, so cover-up is the practical concern rather than the meaning of the kanji.