爱
ài · HSK 1
to love
❤️ 爱 = claw 爫 + cover 冖 + heart 心 + friend 友 (older form held 心)
Modern simplified 爱 dropped the heart 心 that sat inside the traditional 愛. The sound ài rhymes with English eye — the eye of affection. Common in 爱情 (romantic love) and 爱好 (hobby, lit. love-good).
爱 — 爫 (claw) + 冖 (cover) + 心 (heart) + 夂 (slow walk)
Originally written 㤅, showing a heart 心 with breath above, depicting deep feeling. The modern form adds 夂 (a slow-walking foot) below, suggesting reluctance to leave a loved one. The traditional form 愛 keeps 心 inside; simplified 爱 drops the heart but retains the meaning 'love, cherish'.