情人

• Pinyin: qíng rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 情 = 忄+ 青 (love/feeling); 人 = 人 (person)

Meaning

Lover; sweetheart. A person with whom one shares a romantic relationship. In contemporary usage, often implies an illicit relationship outside marriage.

In classical and poetic language, 情人 is simply a beloved. In contemporary usage it frequently implies an extramarital affair, adding a sensitive undertone. The main exception is 情人节 (Valentine's Day), where it retains a purely romantic meaning. Context always determines the implication.

Examples

1. 情人节那天，城市里的花店前大排长龙，人们争相为心中的情人挑选最美的鲜花。 On Valentine’s Day, long lines formed outside flower shops across the city as people rushed to choose the most beautiful flowers for their sweetheart.
2. 古典诗词中，情人一词往往承载着诗人深沉细腻的相思与离愁别绪。 In classical poetry, the word “lover” often carries the poet’s deep, delicate longing and the sorrow of separation.
3. 这部都市情感剧围绕一段秘密的情人关系展开，引发了观众对婚姻与忠诚的广泛讨论。 This urban romance drama revolves around a secret affair, sparking widespread discussion among viewers about marriage and fidelity.

Usage Guide

Context: romance, literature, media, relationships

Tone: sensitive

Do Say

• 这首词借情人之名抒发了词人对故国山河深切的怀念与绵延不尽的惆怅。(This lyric poem uses the name of a beloved to express the poet's deep longing for the rivers and mountains of their lost homeland and the endless melancholy it brings.)
• 情人节起源于西方，但如今已在全球范围内成为人们表达浪漫情感的重要节日。(Valentine's Day originated in the West but has now become an important occasion worldwide for people to express their romantic feelings.)

Don't Say

• 我和她是情人关系，但只是普通朋友 — these two statements contradict each other; 情人 implies romantic intimacy, not platonic friendship; use 好朋友 or 知己 for close platonic bonds

Origin & History

情 (love/feeling) + 人 (person) — a person of love; a lover

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal