The Traditional Chinese character for ‘love’ is composed of four radicals:

On the top, is zhǎo (爫), which represents a claw. The grip shows deliberateness and solemnity if the love is to persist.

Below the claw, is  (冖), a roof. The hearts bloom inside the home.

In the center is xīn (心), the character for heart.

And finally, on the bottom is zhǐ (夂), which means to go. Friendship is the foundation for a love that lasts a lifetime.

Combined, the resulting character, ài (愛), resembles two hands clutching a heart…because love is something that should be held on to.
GIF - Love
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GIF - Love

GIF animation depicting the symbolism behind the Traditional Chinese character for "love". For my Animated Illustration class.

Published: