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March 24, 2026
爱好(愛好)àihào(ai4hao4)
爱好 (ài hào) refers to a person's interests or hobbies, indicating activities that they enjoy doing in their free time. It can also express a general liking or fondness for something, making it a versatile term in social conversations.
Frequency#4340DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, having a hobby like calligraphy or tea brewing is often seen as a reflection of one's personality and social status. Engaging in traditional hobbies can also signify respect for cultural heritage.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heart (爱, ài) and a hobby (好, hào) coming together. Think of 'loving what you do' to remember that 爱好 means 'hobby' or 'interest'. Visualize a person happily engaged in their favorite pastime, reinforcing the joy associated with this word.
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AI Study Notes for 爱好
Quick Contrast
兴趣 (xìngqù) vs 爱好 (àihào): Use 兴趣 for a broader or more general interest, while 爱好 implies a stronger personal engagement or hobby.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a heart (爱, ài) and a hobby (好, hào) coming together. Think of 'loving what you do' to remember that 爱好 means 'hobby' or 'interest'. Visualize a person happily engaged in their favorite pastime, reinforcing the joy associated with this word.
Usage Notes
Avoid confusing 爱好 with 喜欢 (xǐ huān), which is more about liking something in general. While 爱好 can imply a deeper, more sustained interest, remember that it's often used in informal contexts. Common collocations include 我的爱好 (wǒ de ài hào) meaning 'my hobby'.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 爱好 connects with other vocabulary related to personal interests and leisure activities. Students should focus on using it in sentences to describe their hobbies and interests, integrating it with verbs like 'to have' (有, yǒu) and 'to like' (喜欢, xǐ huān).
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, having a hobby like calligraphy or tea brewing is often seen as a reflection of one's personality and social status. Engaging in traditional hobbies can also signify respect for cultural heritage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 爱好 with the more general 喜欢, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我爱好这个' (wǒ ài hào zhège) when they should specify '我喜欢这个' (wǒ xǐ huān zhège) for 'I like this.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 爱好
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Grammar Patterns of 爱好
爱好 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Chicago provides a feast for the ears of any music lover.
Cultural Notes for 爱好
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, having a hobby like calligraphy or tea brewing is often seen as a reflection of one's personality and social status. Engaging in traditional hobbies can also signify respect for cultural heritage.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
While both cultures value hobbies, Western cultures often emphasize individualism in hobbies, while Chinese culture sometimes views hobbies in the context of family or social harmony.
Frequently Asked Questions about 爱好
You can say '我的爱好是游泳' (wǒ de ài hào shì yóu yǒng) meaning 'My hobby is swimming.'
Yes, it can refer to anything you enjoy or take pleasure in, but it specifically emphasizes hobbies or interests.
爱好 is generally more informal; for formal contexts, you might use interests in a broader sense.
