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失恋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
失恋shīliànto lose one's loveHSK 5, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #15428, Hard
失恋shīliànto break up (in a romantic relationship)HSK 5, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #15428, Hard
失恋shīliànto feel jiltedHSK 5, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #15428, Hard
shīliàn(shi1lian4)shi lian T1
  1. 1to lose one's love
  2. 2to break up (in a romantic relationship)
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March 24, 2026

失恋(失戀)shīliàn(shi1lian4)

失恋 (shī liàn) refers to the experience of losing a romantic relationship, often through a breakup. It conveys feelings of heartbreak and emotional distress associated with the end of love. This term is commonly used when discussing personal relationships or in contexts involving romantic disappointments.

Strokes15Frequency#15428DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussing heartbreak can be more subdued compared to Western cultures where it is often openly expressed. The concept of 失恋 reflects the importance of relationships in Chinese society, where family and social approval often play significant roles.

Memory Tip

Imagine a heart (恋) that has literally 'lost' (失) its partner. Visualize a broken heart that is wandering alone, crying out for the love it has lost. The '失' looks like a person falling, symbolizing the emotional fall one experiences during a breakup.

Meanings of 失恋

shīliàn(shi1lian4)
1to lose one's love
2to break up (in a romantic relationship)
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About 失恋

失恋Simplified
失戀Traditional
15Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2

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Podcast: 失恋

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AI Study Notes for 失恋

Quick Contrast

失去爱情 (shīqù àiqíng) - use 失恋 specifically for the emotional experience of a breakup, while 失去爱情 refers more generally to the loss of love without the emotional nuance.

Usage Notes

失恋 is typically used in informal contexts, but can also be appropriate in more serious discussions about relationships. Be careful not to confuse it with 失去 (shī qù), which means 'to lose' in a more general sense. Common collocations include 失恋的痛苦 (shī liàn de tòng kǔ) - the pain of losing love.

HSK Study Tips

While 失恋 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects well with other emotional terms at the same level, such as 爱 (ài - love) and 恨 (hèn - hate). Learners should focus on understanding the emotional nuance of this term as it relates to personal experiences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 失恋 with 失去, using it incorrectly in broader contexts like losing objects or non-romantic relationships. For example, saying '我失恋了我的书' (Wǒ shī liàn le wǒ de shū - I lost my book) is incorrect; it should be '我丢了我的书' (Wǒ diū le wǒ de shū).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 失恋

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Component Characters

失shīto lose
5 strokes大
View full entry
恋liànto feel attached to
HSK 610 strokes心
View full entry

How to say to lose one's love in Chinese

“to lose one's love” in Chinese is失恋shīliàn

失恋 (shī liàn) refers to the experience of losing a romantic relationship, often through a breakup. It conveys feelings of heartbreak and emotional distress associated with the end of love. This term is commonly used when discussing personal relationships or in contexts involving romantic disappointments.

When to use 失恋

失恋 is typically used in informal contexts, but can also be appropriate in more serious discussions about relationships. Be careful not to confuse it with 失去 (shī qù), which means 'to lose' in a more general sense. Common collocations include 失恋的痛苦 (shī liàn de tòng kǔ) - the pain of losing love.

失恋 or something close to it

失去爱情 (shīqù àiqíng) - use 失恋 specifically for the emotional experience of a breakup, while 失去爱情 refers more generally to the loss of love without the emotional nuance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 失恋 with 失去, using it incorrectly in broader contexts like losing objects or non-romantic relationships. For example, saying '我失恋了我的书' (Wǒ shī liàn le wǒ de shū - I lost my book) is incorrect; it should be '我丢了我的书' (Wǒ diū le wǒ de shū).

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失
恋

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Cultural Notes for 失恋

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While both cultures acknowledge the pain of a breakup, Western cultures often emphasize self-expression and personal healing, whereas Chinese culture may encourage a more reserved approach to discussing emotional distress.

Frequently Asked Questions about 失恋

You can say, '我很抱歉你失恋了 (Wǒ hěn bàoqiàn nǐ shī liàn le)' which means 'I'm very sorry to hear about your breakup.'

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