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:

縞模様のシャツが好きです。

Shimamoyou no shatsu ga suki desu

I like striped print shirts.

I like striped shirts.

• 縞模様 - stripes
• の - Possession particle
• シャツ - shirt
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like
• です - to be

肉が大好きです。

Niku ga daisuki desu

I love meat.

• 肉 - means "meat" in Japanese
• が - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 大好き - means "to like very much" or "to love" in Japanese
• です - A polite way to say "is" or "are" in Japanese.

背が高い人が好きです。

Se ga takai hito ga suki desu

I like tall people.

• 背が高い - adjective that means "tall in stature"
• 人 - noun that means "person"
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き - The adjective that means "to like" is "gostoso" or "agradável."
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of discourse

花びらが舞い落ちる季節が好きです。

Hanabira ga mai ochiru kisetsu ga suki desu

I like the season when the flower petals fall.

I like the season when the petals fall.

• 花びら - flower petals
• が - subject particle
• 舞い落ちる - falling, dancing, floating
• 季節 - Estação do Ano
• が - subject particle
• 好きです - like, appreciate

花がたくさん植わる庭が好きです。

Hana ga takusan uwabaru niwa ga suki desu

I like gardens with many planted flowers.

I like the garden where many flowers are planted.

• 花 (hana) - means "flower" in Japanese
• が (ga) - subject particle
• たくさん (takusan) - means "very" or "many"
• 植わる (uwawaru) - means "to be planted" or "to be cultivated"
• 庭 (niwa) - means "garden" or "courtyard"
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 好き (suki) - means "like" or "love" in Japanese
• です (desu) - Polite form of "to be" or "to stay"

苦いコーヒーが好きです。

Nigai kōhī ga suki desu

I like bitter coffee.

• 苦い (karai) - bitter
• コーヒー (koohii) - cafe
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

街頭で音楽を聴くのが好きです。

Gaitou de ongaku wo kiku no ga suki desu

I like listening to music on the street.

• 街頭 (gaitou) - Road
• で (de) - Particle that indicates the place where the action occurs
• 音楽 (ongaku) - music
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 聴く (kiku) - to hear
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

親切な人が好きです。

Shinsetsu na hito ga suki desu

I like kind people.

• 親切な - kind, gentle
• 人 - person
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

読者は本を読むことが好きです。

Dokusha wa hon o yomu koto ga suki desu

Readers like to read books.

Readers like reading books.

• 読者 (yomikata) - reader
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 本 (hon) - book
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 読む (yomu) - read
• こと (koto) - abstract noun indicating action or event
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

賑やかな街並みが好きです。

Nigiyaka na machinami ga suki desu

I like animated streets.

I like the lively landscape of the city.

• 賑やかな - excited, lively
• 街並み - urban landscape, city view
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like, appreciate
• です - Verb ser/estar in the formal present tense