Crush
Meaning: A strong, often unspoken romantic attraction to someone; also the person you are attracted to.
A crush is that intense, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling you get about someone. It can refer to the feeling itself or the person you're attracted to ('she's my crush'). Crushes are often one-sided and sometimes secret. The word has been part of American English for over a century and remains one of the most universally used terms for romantic attraction.
Examples
- I've had a crush on her since third grade. 从三年级起我就一直暗恋她。Me gusta desde tercero de primaria.小学3年生の頃からずっと彼女のことが好きなんだ。초등학교 3학년 때부터 그녀를 짝사랑해왔어.
- My crush just walked into the room and I forgot how to talk. 我暗恋的人刚走进房间,我瞬间不会说话了。La persona que me gusta acaba de entrar en la habitación y se me olvidó cómo hablar.好きな人が部屋に入ってきた瞬間、喋り方を忘れた。좋아하는 사람이 방에 들어오자마자 말하는 법을 잊어버렸어.
- She finally told her crush how she feels. 她终于向暗恋的人表白了。Por fin le confesó a la persona que le gustaba lo que sentía.彼女はついに好きな人に気持ちを打ち明けた。그녀가 드디어 좋아하는 사람에게 마음을 고백했어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: dating, school, everyday conversation
Tone: sweet, nervous
✓ Do Say
- I have a crush on someone.我喜欢上一个人了。Me gusta alguien.好きな人がいるんだ。나 누구한테 반했어.
- He's been my crush forever.他一直是我暗恋的对象。Me ha gustado desde siempre.ずっと彼のことが好きなんだ。그는 내가 오래전부터 좋아하던 사람이야.
✗ Don't Say
- In adult contexts, 'crush' can sound juvenile — some prefer 'interested in' or 'attracted to'在成年人的语境中,crush 可能听起来有点幼稚——有些人更喜欢用'对某人感兴趣'或'被某人吸引'En contextos adultos, 'crush' puede sonar infantil — algunos prefieren decir 'interested in' o 'attracted to'大人の文脈では「crush」は子どもっぽく聞こえることがある——「interested in(興味がある)」や「attracted to(惹かれている)」を好む人もいる어른들 사이에서는 'crush'가 어린아이 같은 표현으로 들릴 수 있다 — 'interested in'이나 'attracted to'를 선호하는 사람도 있다
Origin & History
Used in American English since the 1880s to describe infatuation. The word evokes the overwhelming, 'crushing' weight of intense romantic feelings. It has remained remarkably stable in usage across generations.
Cultural Context
Era: 1880s onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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