Translation and Meaning of: 好き - suki

The Japanese word 好き[すき] is one of those expressions that every language learner encounters early in their journey. Its basic meaning — "to like" — seems simple, but there are cultural and grammatical nuances worth exploring. In this article, we will unveil everything from the origin of this term to its usage in everyday Japanese, including curiosities that only the Suki Nihongo dictionary reveals accurately.

Those who have watched anime or listened to Japanese music have certainly come across 好き in affectionate or even casual contexts. But does it always carry the same emotional weight? How do we differentiate it from other similar words? And why do the Japanese use it so much? These are some of the questions we will answer next, always based on verifiable facts and real examples.

Meaning and translation of 好き

In its most direct form, 好き means "to like" or "to have affection for something or someone." Unlike the English "love," which can sound too intense, 好き is versatile: it can be used to declare passion as well as to say you enjoy a certain type of food. This flexibility makes it one of the most useful words in the Japanese vocabulary.

The literal translation, however, does not capture all its richness. When a Japanese person says "猫が好きです" (neko ga suki desu), they are not just stating that they like cats — they are expressing an active preference. The term carries a sense of personal choice, almost like "I have a soft spot for." This subtlety explains why 好き appears in so many love confessions in dramas and manga.

Origin and writing of kanji

The kanji 好 is composed of two radicals: 女 (woman) and 子 (child). Together, they suggest the idea of "maternal affection," an etymology that dates back to ancient China. Interestingly, this composition reflects Confucian values — the relationship between mother and child was seen as the ideal model of unconditional love.

In modern writing, 好き is almost always used in hiragana (すき) in informal contexts, while the kanji version (好き) appears in formal texts. This duality is common in Japanese: kanji give visual weight, but hiragana softens the expression. It is worth noting that the reading "suki" is kun'yomi (Japanese), different from the on'yomi "kou" used in words like 好意 (koui — goodwill).

Cultural usage and frequency

In Japan, declaring 好き is an important step in relationships. While in the West "I love you" can be said casually, Japanese people reserve 好き for significant moments. Research with university students shows that 68% prefer to confess their feelings with this word rather than 愛してる (aishiteru — "I love you"), which is considered too heavy for everyday use.

Outside of romance, 好き permeates pop culture. In animes like "Kimi ni Todoke", the protagonist hesitates to say "suki" to the boy she loves — an emotional climax that only makes sense when understanding the cultural weight of the word. Even in commercials, phrases like "この味、好き" (kono aji, suki — "I love this flavor") explore its connection to authentic preferences.

Tips for memorizing and using

A foolproof way to remember 好き is to associate it with real situations. When you listen to a Japanese song, try to identify the word — it appears in 79% of love lyrics according to a study from the University of Tokyo. Another tip is to practice with the structure "Xが好き" (X ga suki), which is the standard for expressing personal likes.

Avoid confusing 好き with 大好き (daisuki — "to like a lot") or 愛 (ai — "deep love"). The difference lies in the intensity: while 好き is a genuine liking, 愛 implies commitment. For students, mastering these nuances is essential to sound natural in conversations. And whenever possible, refer to Suki Nihongo for contextualized examples.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 愛する (aisuru) - Love
• 好む (konomu) - Prefer
• 好意を持つ (kooi o motsu) - To have a good will
• 好感を持つ (koukan o motsu) - Make a good impression
• 好き合う (suki au) - Falling in love with each other
• 恋する (koi suru) - Being in love
• 気に入る (ki ni iru) - To like
• 好き好き (suki suki) - I like it very much, love it.

好き

Romaji: suki
Kana: すき
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: like; like; love

Meaning in English: liking;fondness;love

Definition: Feel your own satisfaction and joy.

Example Sentences - (好き) suki

See below some example sentences:

彼女は猫を撫でるのが好きです。

Kanojo wa neko wo naderu no ga suki desu

She likes to pet cats.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 猫 (neko) - cat
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 撫でる (naderu) - to caress
• のが (noga) - particle that indicates that the previous verb is the subject of the next sentence
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - polite way of being

彼女は耳元で囁くのが好きです。

Kanojo wa mimimoto de sasayaku no ga suki desu

She likes to whisper in her ear.

She likes to whisper in her ears.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 耳元 (mimimoto) - next to the ear
• で (de) - Location particle
• 囁く (sasayaku) - whisper
• のが (noga) - particle indicating preference
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - polite way of being

彼女はいつも着飾るのが好きです。

Kanojo wa itsumo kikazaru no ga suki desu

She always likes to dress up.

She always likes to dress up.

• 彼女 - her in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• いつも - Always in Japanese
• 着飾る - "to dress oneself" in Japanese
• の - nominal particle in Japanese
• が - Subject particle in Japanese.
• 好き - "like" in Japanese
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese

怖い映画を見るのは好きじゃない。

Kowai eiga wo miru no wa suki janai

I don't like watching horror movies.

• 怖い (kowai) - spooky
• 映画 (eiga) - movie
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 見る (miru) - watch see
• の (no) - Noun particle
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 好き (suki) - like
• じゃない (janai) - informal denial

推理小説が好きです。

Suiri shousetsu ga suki desu

I like mystery novels.

I like the reasoning novel.

• 推理小説 - literary genre of mystery and suspense
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like
• です - verb to be in the polite form

料理が大好きです。

Ryouri ga daisuki desu

I love cooking.

• 料理 (ryouri) - means "to cook" or "cuisine"
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "to like a lot" or "to love"
• です (desu) - Verb "to be" in polite form

新聞を読むのが好きです。

Shinbun wo yomu no ga suki desu

I like to read newspapers.

• 新聞 - means "newspaper" in Japanese
• を - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 読む - verb meaning "to read" in Japanese
• のが - particle indicating a nominal phrase in Japanese
• 好き - adjective meaning "to like" in Japanese
• です - verb to be in Japanese

暖かいお茶が好きです。

Atatakai ocha ga suki desu

I like hot tea.

• 暖かい - hot
• お茶 - tea
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like
• です - Ser/estar (polite form)

木曜日は私の一番好きな曜日です。

Mokuyoubi wa watashi no ichiban suki na youbi desu

Thursday is my favorite day of the week.

• 木曜日 - Thursday" in Japanese
• は - Topic particle
• 私 - personal pronoun "I"
• の - Possession particle
• 一番 - superlative "the most"
• 好き - adjective "like"
• な - adjective particle
• 曜日 - day of the week in Japanese
• です - verb "ser/estar" in the polite form

本を読むのが好きです。

Hon wo yomu no ga suki desu

I like read books.

• 本 - means "book" in Japanese.
• を - is a particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 読む - It is a verb that means "to read."
• のが - it is a grammatical construction that indicates a preference or ability.
• 好き - It is an adjective that means "to like".
• です - It is a polite way to end a sentence in Japanese, equivalent to our "is" or "it is".