爱人 ài ren
“spouse (PRC); lover (non-PRC)”
noun2021 list level 2Traditional 愛人Measure word 个
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
爱人 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 503: 爱人 àiren — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 92
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 爱人
A noun meaning "spouse, husband/wife" in mainland China, where it is the standard everyday word. It works for either a husband or a wife and is not the usual mainland word for an extramarital lover; outside mainland varieties it can mean "lover/romantic partner". Use it with 的 or as a subject: 我的爱人, 我爱人是老师.
例句Example sentences
- 这是我的爱人，我们结婚十年了。zhè shì wǒ de ài rén, wǒ men jié hūn shí nián le.This is my spouse; we have been married for ten years.
- 他的爱人在医院工作。tā de ài rén zài yī yuàn gōng zuò.His spouse works in a hospital.
- 明天我爱人出差回来。míng tiān wǒ ài rén chū chāi huí lái.My spouse is coming back from a business trip tomorrow.
易混词Easily confused
爱人vs情人
In mainland usage 情人 means "lover, romantic partner" and often implies a relationship outside marriage; 爱人 means husband or wife. Outside mainland varieties, 爱人 can also mean lover, so context matters.