• Elementary
• Vocabulary
• HSK 1

Literal Meaning

"爱好" is most commonly translated as “hobby” or “interest.” It refers to an activity that one enjoys doing regularly in one's leisure time, often for personal satisfaction rather than professional gain. Unlike a mere pastime, àihào carries a sense of genuine fondness and voluntary engagement—it is something you love to do, not something you have to do.

The word is composed of two characters: ài (爱) and hào (好). Literally, ài means “to love” or “to cherish,” and hào means “to like” or “to be fond of.” When combined, àihào conveys “love-and-liking”—a double emphasis on positive affection. This reduplication of sentiment is not redundant; it stresses that the activity is not a casual whim but a deep, sustained preference. In classical Chinese, the two characters were often used separately as verbs, but together they form a stable noun that points to a personal, enduring passion.

Characters

The word "爱好" is composed of two distinct Chinese characters.

爱

1. Pinyin: [ ài ⁴ ]
2. Stroke Count: 10 strokes.
3. Explanation: Love, affection, to treasure. It implies an emotional bond, care, and strong positive feeling. In compounds, it often appears in words like àiqíng (romantic love) or àiguó (patriotism).

好

1. Pinyin: [ hào ⁴ ]
2. Stroke Count: 6 strokes.
3. Explanation: to like, to be fond of, to have a tendency toward. When read as hào, it indicates a habitual preference or inclination. It appears in words like hàoxué (fond of learning) or hàoshèng (eager to outdo others).

The two characters reinforce each other: ài gives emotional depth, while hào gives habitual action. The compound thus describes a loved habit—something you return to again and again because it brings you joy.

Scenarios

In casual spoken Chinese, àihào is extremely common. When people meet for the first time, one of the standard icebreakers is “Nǐ yǒu shénme àihào?” (What are your hobbies?). It is a neutral, friendly question suitable for all ages. Responses are usually simple: “Wǒ de àihào shì tīng yīnyuè” (My hobby is listening to music).

However, in formal business documents or performance reviews, àihào is rarely mentioned unless directly relevant to job skills (e.g., a graphic designer listing photography as a hobby that enhances aesthetic sense). It is considered personal information, not professional data.

Example Sentences

1. 我的爱好是游泳。
   [ Wǒ de àihào shì yóuyǒng ]
   Translation: My hobby is swimming.
   Explanation: This is the most basic, neutral statement. It establishes identity through activity. The verb shì (is) makes the hobby a defining attribute. Simple, clear, and commonly used in self-introductions.
2. 他的唯一爱好就是收集老唱片。
   [ Tā de wéiyī àihào jiùshì shōují lǎo chàngpiàn. ]
   Translation: His only hobby is collecting old records.
   Explanation: Wéiyī (only) intensifies the focus. The particle jiùshì (precisely is) adds a slightly emphatic tone, implying that this hobby defines him. It evokes a sense of nostalgia and niche dedication.
3. 阅读是他从小养成的爱好。
   [ Yuèdú shì tā cóng xiǎo yǎngchéng de àihào ]
   Translation: Reading is a hobby he has cultivated since childhood.
   Explanation: The phrase cóng xiǎo yǎngchéng (cultivated from a young age) emphasizes persistence and growth. This implies that hobbies are not innate but developed over time, adding a layer of discipline and family influence.
4. 你有什么特别的爱好吗
   [ Nǐ yǒu shénme tèbié de àihào ma? ]
   Translation: Do you have any special hobbies?
   Explanation: The adjective tèbié (special) invites the listener to share something unique or unusual. This question is often used in ice-breaking or interviews to discover personality beyond the ordinary.
5. 她把爱好变成了职业，真是令人羡慕。
   [ Tā bǎ àihào biànchéng le zhíyè, zhēn shì lìng rén xiànmù ]
   Translation: She turned her hobby into a career—how enviable.
   Explanation: This expresses a modern ideal: monetizing passion. The particle le marks a completed transformation. The comment lìng rén xiànmù (makes people envy) acknowledges that this is a rare and desirable achievement.
6. 父母从不干涉我的爱好选择。
   [ Fùmǔ cóng bù gānshè wǒ de àihào xuǎnzé. ]
   Translation: My parents never interfere with my choice of hobbies.
   Explanation: This sentence touches on autonomy. Gānshè (interfere) carries a mild negative connotation, so the statement celebrates freedom. It reflects a modern, liberal parenting style and the value of self-expression.

Don't Use It Wrongly

Below are three common errors when using àihào, along with explanations.

1. 我的爱好是睡觉，每天睡十个小时。
   [ Wǒ de àihào shì shuìjiào, měitiān shuì shí ge xiǎoshí ]
   Translation: My hobby is sleeping; I sleep ten hours a day.
   Explanation: In Chinese, àihào implies an active, voluntary activity that you choose to do for enjoyment. Sleeping is a basic physiological need, not a leisure pursuit. Unless you are a sleep researcher or a professional mattress tester, calling sleep a hobby sounds lazy and misuses the word. Better: xǐhuān shuìjiào (like sleeping) is acceptable, but àihào is inappropriate.
2. 我的爱好是赚钱。
   [ Wǒ de àihào shì zhuànqián ]
   Translation: My hobby is making money.
   Explanation: While earning money can be enjoyable, àihào refers to activities done for intrinsic pleasure, not for external reward. Making money is usually a means to an end, not an end in itself. In Chinese culture, this answer is seen as either overly materialistic or a joke. If you genuinely enjoy trading stocks as a pastime, you should specify “wǒ xǐhuān yánjiū gǔpiào” (I like studying stocks) rather than reducing it to zhuànqián.
3. 我的爱好是玩手机。
   [ Wǒ de àihào shì wán shǒujī. ]
   Translation: My hobby is playing with my phone.
   Explanation: Wán shǒujī (using a phone) is too vague and passive. Phones are tools, not activities in themselves. A hobby should be a specific action—e.g., reading e-books, playing mobile games, or editing photos. Saying “playing with the phone” sounds like you have no real interests. Native speakers would consider this an empty answer. Rephrase as “wǒ de àihào shì dǎ shǒuyóu” (playing mobile games) or “kàn duǎnshìpín” (watching short videos).

Synonyms

Here are 4 near-synonyms for àihào, each with a slightly different nuance.

1. 兴趣
   [ xìng qù ]
   Translation: interest
   Explanation: Xìngqù is broader and more transient. It refers to curiosity or attraction that may not involve regular practice. You can have an interest in astronomy without actually stargazing; àihào implies active, habitual engagement.
2. 嗜好
   [ shì hào ]
   Translation: addiction / fondness (often strong)
   Explanation: Shìhào carries a stronger, sometimes obsessive connotation. It can border on a vice (e.g., shìjiǔ - alcoholism), but in neutral use, it suggests a deep, refined taste. It is less casual than àihào and often used for connoisseurship.
3. 癖好
   [ pǐ hào ]
   Translation: peculiar hobby / fetish
   Explanation: Pǐhào emphasizes eccentricity or idiosyncrasy. It often implies something unusual or even obsessive. Unlike àihào, which is socially neutral and positive, pǐhào can be slightly teasing or critical.
4. 偏爱
   [ piān ài ]
   Translation: preference / partiality
   Explanation: Piān ài is not an activity but a tendency to favor one thing over others. It is comparative and does not imply regular practice. You can have a preference without it being a hobby; e.g., you prefer tea over coffee, but you don't necessarily collect tea.

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