Chinese definitely has its own concepts when it comes to love and relationships.
In the West, when people say “We’re dating” or “I’m dating so‑and‑so,” it usually describes a stage where two people are getting to know each other, without committing to a solid romantic relationship yet.
In Chinese, this stage basically didn’t exist at all just about 30 years ago. The process was more like this: two people go on a xiāngqīn (相亲), meaning someone sets them up to meet. Then they might meet only a few more times before deciding on a wedding date.
Nowadays, things have moved closer to the Western style, but the language hasn’t fully caught up with the concept. There still isn’t a specific expression that refers to a phase where two people are “just dating for fun or trying out.”
The closest would be 我在追TA(wǒ zài zhuī tā), meaning “I’m pursuing him/her.”
For being in a relationship, we say:
我们在谈恋爱。 (wǒmen zài tán liàn’ài) This is the most common expression in Mainland China.
我们在交往。 (wǒmen zài jiāowǎng) This is more common in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
In Mainland Chinese, there’s also a very casual version: 我们在处对象。wǒmen zài chǔ duìxiàng You’ll hear it maybe 70% of the time in daily life. I personally find it hilariously old‑fashioned.
As for 约会, in Chinese it only refers to going out on a single date — meeting up and doing something together. It doesn’t describe an ongoing romantic stage the way “dating” does in English.
And I give these two more frequently used expressions to say “I have a thing for someone.” These two lines carry so much culture inside them. You can clearly see how Chinese people prefer emotional expressions that are subtle, indirect, and gentle — not blunt or overly direct.
我对你有好感。 wǒ duì nǐ yǒu hǎogǎn “I have good feelings toward you / I’m attracted to you.”
我对你有点儿感觉。 wǒ duì nǐ yǒudiǎnr gǎnjué “I kind of have feelings for you.”
Whether the emotion is strong and deep, or just a light crush, Chinese prefer express it in these soft, understated ways.
Different is Fun, right 😉? Happy Listening 竹子
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Video Summary
AI Generated
這段影片詳細解析了中文裡「約會」與「談戀愛」的區別,並介紹了中國人在表達好感時較為含蓄的常用說法。
If a person likes another person,
This person likes that person.
Yes, he likes her.
She likes him.
They will go on a date.
Go on a date,
Well, he might, well, he might have said to her,
He said to her,
Let's go on a date.
Let's go on a date.
Because I kind of like you,
I kind of like you.
Then they went on a date.
They might, um, watch a movie,
Let's watch a movie together,
Yeah, let's eat dinner together.
Ah, let's eat together.
Eat delicious food,
Enjoy delicious food,
Cheers, cheers,
Ah, let's drink together.
Drink together.
That's a date.
This is called a date.
Yes, this has the same meaning as the English word "date."
Well, going on a date out.
Let's watch a movie together,
Hmm, interesting.
Let's have dinner together.
Drink together.
Well, eating, drinking,
These are all things you do on a date.
Yeah?
But then, they went on a date,
This person, this person,
He likes her.
She likes him.
They went on a date.
Once, twice, three times, four times
Oh, four dates already.
Go on four dates,
Oh, they think, um, it's good,
She's good, oh, she's really quite nice,
She's pretty good, yeah, she's pretty good.
They thought, well, it's quite suitable.
Perfectly suitable.
Well, then,
So then, therefore,
So, so,
They decided,
We want to fall in love.
We decided to date.
That's what they decided to have a real one,
formal, formal relationship
Ah, a formal relationship.
We're not going out on a date.
Go on a date.
And then, friend, um, friend,
This is a friend, ah, going on a date out.
Ah, this is a friend,
No, not like this,
They went on dates many times.
Ah, many times,
They all think it's great.
They are all very good.
Yes, very suitable.
The two of them are very well-suited to each other.
That's just what feels comfortable to me.
I also feel comfortable.
I'm comfortable, I'm comfortable.
It's very comfortable being together.
Ah, very comfortable.
They are very suitable for each other.
At this moment,
They decided to start dating.
Well, we could say,
They are now in a romantic relationship.
Romantic relationship
Ah, they've started a romantic relationship.
They started dating.
They started dating.
Ah, this isn't a date anymore.
This isn't a date.
I can't say they've started dating.
No, cannot, not allowed
Well, a date is just something you do when you go out.
Or at home,
You can do it at home too.
You can go on a date at home too.
Yes.
But often it's outdoors,
Doing things outside.
Don't do things at home.
A date in Chinese simply means two people going out together.
Going out or doing things at home,
Perhaps one night,
One night or one day,
One daytime is also fine,
Either a day or a night will do.
It's fine both during the day and at night.
All good, either is fine.
Any of them can be a date.
But their relationship cannot be called a dating one.
Well, this isn't Chinese.
This is not Chinese.
This is English.
Then their relationship is a romantic one.
We say these two people are in a romantic relationship.
Dating someone
We are in a romantic relationship.
The term "dating" is quite interesting.
Because of the talk,
"Talk" means "to speak."
It's conversation.
The word "conversation"
To talk means to speak.
Chatting
Speak,
Chatting
Dating sounds like it would be,
It sounds as if your love is due to talking,
Say it, say it, say it,
And then it came out,
It came out from the mouth.
Love,
Say it out loud, love,
Is love a feeling?
It's the feeling of love,
I love someone,
I like someone.
Then I think this is,
This might be the way to love.
Because two people are often talking to each other,
Talking frequently,
They chatted together.
Let's talk together,
Gradually,
I feel it.
I feel it,
How does it feel?
The feeling of liking,
The feeling of love,
Good feeling,
That's the feeling of love,
I feel it,
So about dating,
We use the word "talk" for this.
This is an action.
This gesture means "to say."
Dating,
We are in a relationship.
We are in a romantic relationship.
Are you in a relationship?
Do you want to date?
This is about falling in love.
It's a relationship between two people who have come together.
We're together now.
They got together.
We can't say we're on a date.
No, cannot.
Because a date is something you do,
A certain thing done
You can go on a date once.
Go twice,
Three times
In Chinese,
To say that you like someone
Like someone.
There are many different accounts,
I like you.
It's a very simple explanation.
But many Chinese people,
Won't say it directly,
I like you.
No,
Won't say it directly,
There are many that are much better.
A better way of saying it,
I want to tell you two things,
Two,
Two of these.
Very Chinese
The way of saying "I like you"
The first one is,
I have a crush on you.
That is me for you,
To you,
I have a good feeling about you.
Good feeling,
I have a good feeling about you.
Then let's talk about affection,
I have a crush on you.
Like, like,
I have a crush on you.
This is very Chinese,
Very Chinese
A way frequently mentioned by Chinese people,
One way,
Don't say anything,
I like you.
Don't say it,
Too easy.
Too direct.
Too direct.
Too simple.
We say,
I have a crush on him.
I have a crush on you.
That is a better way of saying it,
The second statement,
The second argument is that,
I kind of have feelings for him.
That is also a good way of saying it,
Because I have a bit of feeling for him,
Are you being too direct?
It's not very straightforward.
It's starting to feel something.
I have a bit of a feeling,
That would certainly be a good feeling.
It feels good.
It's the feeling of liking someone.
But don't say you like it,
So others are thinking,
What does it feel like?
So this is a good way of saying it,
Because it's not very straightforward,
It's not very straightforward.
People like to say it this way,
Many people like to say this.
I have a bit of a feeling for him.
That's a little bit of liking,
A little bit in love,
I'm starting to feel something for him.
I didn't feel it before.
Not before.
I'm starting to feel something for him now.
And then?
You could also say,
I have a crush on him.
I have a crush on him.
So these two statements,
These two methods of speaking,
These two statements,
They are all widely used.
Used a lot,
I don't usually say I love you.
I mean I have a crush on you.
Or maybe I have a little feeling for you,
It's starting to feel something.
Do you have feelings for anyone?
Do you have feelings for anyone?
This is what you like.
Do you like anyone?
Do you have someone you like now?
Do you have someone you like right now?