Translation guide
Expressing a liking or affection for someone or something in Japanese, ranging from casual preferences to deep emotional attachment.
Expressing that you like something or someone in a casual, everyday sense.
The most common and versatile way to express fondness or liking. Can be used for people, things, activities, etc.
Emphasizes a strong liking, similar to 'love' or 'really like'. Used for things, hobbies, or people (but can sound intense for people if not careful).
私は映画が大好きです。
I really love movies.
Means 'to be pleased with' or 'to take a liking to'. Often used when you find something appealing or it suits your taste.
このバッグ、気に入った。
I really like this bag. (I've taken a liking to it.)
Expressing warm, affectionate feelings toward family, friends, or romantic partners.
Refers to deep affection, love, or fondness, especially in close relationships. More emotional than 好き.
彼女は子供たちに深い愛情を持っている。
She has a deep affection for her children.
A sense of attachment or fondness developed over time, often for familiar people, places, or objects.
Expresses a fond, nostalgic feeling when remembering something from the past. Not a direct translation of 'fondness', but conveys a similar warm sentiment.
Describing a habitual liking or inclination toward something, often with a slightly negative or indulgent connotation.
A slightly formal verb meaning 'to be fond of' or 'to prefer'. Often used for tastes or habitual preferences.
彼は甘いものを好む。
He is fond of sweets.
A pattern to express fondness for doing something. Replace ～ with a verb in dictionary form.
私は散歩するのが好きです。
I am fond of taking walks.
Means 'hobby', but can imply a fondness for an activity. Often used in self-introductions.
私の趣味は料理です。
My hobby (something I'm fond of) is cooking.
Expressing fondness in a more elegant, written, or formal manner.
A formal term for 'love' or 'fondness', often used in compound words like 愛好家 (enthusiast).
彼は音楽の愛好家だ。
He is a music lover (has a fondness for music).
A literary or historical term for deep affection or favor, often used for a ruler's fondness for a subject or a parent's doting love.
English often uses the noun 'fondness', but Japanese typically expresses this concept with adjectives (好きな) or verbs (好む, 気に入る). Using a noun like 愛好 or 愛情 can sound stiff or overly formal in casual speech. Instead, rephrase the sentence to use a verb or adjective structure.
彼は猫が好きだ。
He has a fondness for cats. (Natural Japanese: He likes cats.)
好き is the safest and most common for general liking. 大好き adds emphasis and is common among friends or for hobbies, but can be too strong for romantic confessions early on. 愛情 is reserved for deep, often familial or long-term romantic affection, and is not used for casual preferences.
長年使った机に愛着がある。
I have a fondness for the desk I've used for years.
この曲を聞くと懐かしい気持ちになる。
Hearing this song makes me feel nostalgic (and fond).
王はその妃を深く寵愛した。
The king had a deep fondness for that consort.