qínglǚ: 情侣 - (Romantic) Couple, Lovers

• Keywords: 情侣, qinglv, couple in Chinese, romantic couple Chinese, lovers Chinese, Chinese for boyfriend girlfriend, 情侶, 情侣是什么意思, Chinese dating terms, HSK 4 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 情侣 (qínglǚ), the essential Chinese word for a romantic couple or lovers. This comprehensive guide explores its cultural context, practical use in modern China, and how it differs from English terms. Discover how to talk about relationships with authentic example sentences, character breakdowns, and related vocabulary for dating in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qínglǚ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: A pair of people in a romantic, unmarried relationship; a couple.
• In a Nutshell: 情侣 (qínglǚ) is the default, go-to term for a romantic couple in Chinese. It refers to two people who are dating, in an established relationship, or are lovers. It's a neutral and common term that focuses on the shared emotional bond and partnership, much like the English word “couple” when used in a clear romantic context. It specifically refers to an unmarried pair.

• 情 (qíng): This character means “feeling,” “emotion,” “passion,” or “love.” The left part, a form of the heart radical (心), signifies that the meaning is related to feelings and the heart. It's the same character found in 爱情 (àiqíng - romantic love).
• 侣 (lǚ): This character means “companion” or “partner.” The left side is the person radical (亻), indicating it's about people. The right side (吕) can be pictorially imagined as two people (two 口 radicals) together, suggesting companionship.
• Together, 情侣 (qínglǚ) literally translates to “emotion companions” or “love partners.” It elegantly combines the concepts of romantic feeling and partnership into a single, standard word.

In Chinese culture, becoming a 情侣 (qínglǚ) is a more defined step than the often ambiguous “seeing each other” phase in Western dating culture. It's the point where a relationship becomes “official” and publicly acknowledged. A key difference from the West is the commercial and social visibility of the “情侣” identity. In modern China, it's very popular for couples to publicly display their status. This has created a huge market for:

• 情侣装 (qínglǚ zhuāng): Matching “couple's outfits.”
• 情侣套餐 (qínglǚ tàocān): “Couple's set meals” at restaurants.
• 情侣座 (qínglǚ zuò): “Couple's seats” at movie theaters.

This public expression of being a 情侣 is a relatively modern phenomenon, contrasting with the more reserved public etiquette of previous generations. It reflects a shift in social norms among younger Chinese people, who are more open about their romantic lives. The term itself, however, remains the standard and respected word for a dating couple.

情侣 is a highly practical and common word used in various contexts:

• Daily Conversation: You'll use it to point out a couple on the street, ask if two people are together, or describe your relationship status.
• Social Media: It's a common tag or descriptor for photos and posts. People might write “我和我的另一半，一对幸福的情侣” (“Me and my other half, a happy couple”).
• Marketing and Media: Businesses constantly use 情侣 to target young consumers, especially around holidays like Valentine's Day (情人节 - qíngrénjié) and the Qixi Festival (七夕节 - qīxījié), which is often called Chinese Valentine's Day.

The term is neutral in connotation and can be used in both formal and informal situations without issue.

• Example 1:
  • 公园里有很多对情侣在散步。
  • Pinyin: Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō duì qínglǚ zài sànbù.
  • English: There are many couples strolling in the park.
  • Analysis: This is a simple, neutral observation. The measure word for 情侣 is 对 (duì), meaning “a pair.”
• Example 2:
  • 他们俩是情侣吗？我一直以为他们只是朋友。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen liǎ shì qínglǚ ma? Wǒ yīzhí yǐwéi tāmen zhǐshì péngyou.
  • English: Are those two a couple? I always thought they were just friends.
  • Analysis: A common question used to clarify the relationship between two people.
• Example 3:
  • 这家商店专门卖情侣装和各种情侣礼物。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā shāngdiàn zhuānmén mài qínglǚ zhuāng hé gèzhǒng qínglǚ lǐwù.
  • English: This shop specializes in selling couple's outfits and all kinds of couple's gifts.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the commercial use of the term, modifying other nouns like 装 (zhuāng - clothing) and 礼物 (lǐwù - gifts).
• Example 4:
  • 我们去年情人节正式成为了情侣。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen qùnián Qíngrénjié zhèngshì chéngwéi le qínglǚ.
  • English: We officially became a couple last Valentine's Day.
  • Analysis: Highlights the idea of “becoming” (成为) a 情侣 as a distinct event.
• Example 5:
  • 作为一对异地情侣，沟通对他们来说非常重要。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī duì yìdì qínglǚ, gōutōng duì tāmen láishuō fēicháng zhòngyào.
  • English: As a long-distance couple, communication is very important for them.
  • Analysis: Shows how 情侣 can be modified by other descriptions, like 异地 (yìdì - long-distance).
• Example 6:
  • 电影院的情侣座通常更舒服，也更贵。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐngyuàn de qínglǚ zuò tōngcháng gèng shūfu, yě gèng guì.
  • English: The couple's seats at the movie theater are usually more comfortable and also more expensive.
  • Analysis: Another example of commercial usage, common in modern life.
• Example 7:
  • 我不想当电灯泡，打扰那对情侣约会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng dāng diàndēngpào, dǎrǎo nà duì qínglǚ yuēhuì.
  • English: I don't want to be a third wheel and interrupt that couple's date.
  • Analysis: Uses the fun idiom 当电灯泡 (dāng diàndēngpào - to be a third wheel, lit. “to be a lightbulb”) in the context of not wanting to disturb a 情侣.
• Example 8:
  • 虽然他们经常吵架，但他们仍然是一对恩爱的情侣。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán tāmen jīngcháng chǎojià, dàn tāmen réngrán shì yī duì ēn'ài de qínglǚ.
  • English: Although they often argue, they are still a loving couple.
  • Analysis: The adjective 恩爱 (ēn'ài - loving, affectionate) is often used to describe both 情侣 and married couples.
• Example 9:
  • 我们现在还不是情侣，我们还处在互相了解的阶段。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiànzài hái bùshì qínglǚ, wǒmen hái chǔ zài hùxiāng liǎojiě de jiēduàn.
  • English: We are not a couple yet, we are still in the stage of getting to know each other.
  • Analysis: Clearly shows the distinction between dating casually and being in an official 情侣 relationship.
• Example 10:
  • 在中国，很多年轻人喜欢穿情侣T恤来展示他们的关系。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, hěn duō niánqīngrén xǐhuān chuān qínglǚ T-xù lái zhǎnshì tāmen de guānxì.
  • English: In China, many young people like to wear couple's T-shirts to show off their relationship.
  • Analysis: Explicitly links the concept of 情侣 to the cultural practice of matching outfits.

• 情侣 (qínglǚ) vs. 夫妻 (fūqī): This is the most critical distinction for a learner. 情侣 refers to an unmarried romantic couple. 夫妻 (fūqī) refers exclusively to a married couple (husband and wife). Calling a married pair a 情侣 would be incorrect and strange.
  • Correct: 他们是情侣，明年打算结婚。(They are a couple and plan to get married next year.)
  • Incorrect: 他们结婚十年了，是一对老情侣。 (This is wrong. They should be called a 老夫妻 lǎo fūqī).
• 情侣 vs. 朋友 (péngyou): 情侣 is exclusively romantic. While your partner is also your friend, this term defines the romantic unit. You cannot use it for platonic friends. English speakers might say “a couple of friends,” but you can never say “一对情侣朋友” (yī duì qínglǚ péngyou). You would just say “两个朋友” (liǎng ge péngyou).
• Referring to one person: 情侣 refers to the pair. To refer to one person within the couple, you use 男朋友 (nánpéngyou) for boyfriend or 女朋友 (nǚpéngyou) for girlfriend.

• `夫妻` (fūqī) - Husband and wife; a married couple. This is the next official stage after being a 情侣.
• `男朋友` (nánpéngyou) - Boyfriend. One half of a 情侣.
• `女朋友` (nǚpéngyou) - Girlfriend. The other half of a 情侣.
• `谈恋爱` (tán liàn'ài) - (verb) To be in a relationship, to date. This is the action that 情侣 do.
• `约会` (yuēhuì) - (verb/noun) To date; a date. The activity that can lead to becoming a 情侣.
• `对象` (duìxiàng) - A significant other, a partner (potential or actual). A very common, slightly more pragmatic term. Parents often ask, “你找到对象了吗?” (“Have you found a partner?”).
• `情人` (qíngrén) - Lover. Can sound more intense or poetic than 情侣, but can also sometimes imply an extramarital affair. It's best for beginners to stick with 情侣.
• `爱人` (àiren) - Literally “love person.” A term for a spouse (husband or wife), more commonly used by older generations in Mainland China.
• `单身狗` (dānshēn gǒu) - “Single dog.” A popular, self-deprecating slang term single people use, especially on social media when surrounded by 情侣.
• `秀恩爱` (xiù ēn'ài) - To show off one's love; public display of affection (PDA). What many 情侣 are accused of doing online.