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:

私は菓子が大好きです。

Watashi wa kashi ga daisuki desu

I love candies.

I love confectionery.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - topic particle in Japanese, used to indicate the subject of the sentence
• 菓子 (kashi) - "Doces" means "sweet" in Japanese.
• が (ga) - subject particle in Japanese, used to indicate the subject of the sentence
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "I like a lot" in Japanese
• です (desu) - polite way of "being" in Japanese

私は水泳が大好きです。

Watashi wa suiei ga daisuki desu

I love swimming.

I love swimming.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - topic particle in Japanese, used to indicate the subject of the sentence
• 水泳 (suiei) - "natação" means "swimming" in Japanese
• が (ga) - subject particle in Japanese, used to indicate the subject of the sentence
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "like very much" in Japanese
• です (desu) - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate the formality of the sentence

私は文学が大好きです。

Watashi wa bungaku ga daisuki desu

I love literature.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 文学 (bungaku) - "literature" in Japanese.
• が (ga) - Subject particle in Japanese.
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "like very much" in Japanese
• です (desu) - polite way of "being" in Japanese

私は旅行が大好きです。

Watashi wa ryokō ga daisuki desu

I love to travel.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 旅行 (ryokou) - means "journey" in Japanese
• が (ga) - Subject particle in Japanese.
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "like very much" in Japanese
• です (desu) - polite way to be/act in Japanese

私はブーツが好きです。

Watashi wa buutsu ga suki desu

I like boots.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• ブーツ (buutsu) - word in Japanese that means "boots"
• が (ga) - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - adjective in Japanese that means "to like"
• です (desu) - linking verb in Japanese that indicates the formality of the sentence

私は漫画が大好きです。

Watashi wa manga ga daisuki desu

I love manga.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 漫画 (manga) - It means "manga" in Japanese.
• が (ga) - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 大好き (daisuki) - means "like very much" in Japanese
• です (desu) - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate the formality of the sentence

私は毎日通りかかる公園が大好きです。

Watashi wa mainichi toorikakaru kouen ga daisuki desu

I love the park that I pass every day.

I love the parks that go every day.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun meaning "I".
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I".
• 毎日 - Japanese adverb meaning "every day".
• 通りかかる - Japanese verb meaning "to pass by".
• 公園 - Japanese noun meaning "park".
• が - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case, "park".
• 大好き - Japanese adjective meaning "much loved" or "adored."
• です - Japanese linking verb that indicates the formality of the sentence, in this case, "is".

私は小説を書くのが好きです。

Watashi wa shousetsu wo kaku no ga suki desu

I like writing novels.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun meaning "I".
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I".
• 小説 - Japanese noun that means "romance" or "novel".
• を - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "to write."
• 書く - Japanese verb that means "to write".
• のが - Japanese particle that indicates the nominal subject function of the sentence, in this case, "to write".
• 好き - Japanese adjective that means "to like."
• です - Japanese verb that indicates the current state or action, in this case, "to like".

私は毛糸でセーターを編むのが好きです。

Watashi wa keito de seetaa o amu no ga suki desu

I like to knit sweaters with wool.

I like to knit a sweater with wool.

• 私 - personal pronoun "I"
• は - Topic particle
• 毛糸 - noun "wool"
• で - Instrument particle
• セーター - noun "sweater"
• を - direct object particle
• 編む - verb "to knit"
• の - substantivization particle
• が - subject particle
• 好き - adjective "like"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

私は賭けることが好きです。

Watashi wa kakeru koto ga suki desu

I like to bet.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 賭ける - Japanese verb meaning "to bet"
• こと - A palavra japonesa que significa "coisa" é "もの" (mono).
• が - subject particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き - Japanese adjective that means "like"
• です - Japanese linking verb that indicates the formality of the sentence