What's the difference between these two Chinese idioms?
爱屋及乌 (love the house, love the crow on it) is about loving everything associated with someone you love, while 一见钟情 is love at first sight. Extended love vs instant love.
ài wū jí wū
“Love extends to all connections”
Literally: Love house and its crow
This tender expression describes how love (爱) for a house (屋) extends (及) even to the crow (乌) perched on its roof. Dating back to the Warring States period, it first appeared in texts discussing how affection naturally spreads to associated things. The crow, often considered an unremarkable bird, b...
Example: She loved her friend so much that she even cherished her friend's peculiar habits
Chinese: 她如此喜欢她的朋友，连朋友的怪癖也觉得可爱
yī jiàn zhōng qíng
“Love at first sight”
Literally: One glance, feelings concentrate
This idiom describes at one (一) glance (见) feelings (情) concentrate (钟). It captures the experience of instant romantic attraction where love strikes at first sight. The phrase appeared in classical literature describing sudden, overwhelming romantic feelings. Modern usage describes love at first si...
Example: He fell in love with her the moment he saw her.
Chinese: 他第一眼见到她就一见钟情。
| Aspect | 爱屋及乌 | 一见钟情 |
|---|---|---|
| Pinyin | ài wū jí wū | yī jiàn zhōng qíng |
| Literal Meaning | Love house and its crow | One glance, feelings concentrate |
| Used For | Love extends to all connections | Love at first sight |
| Theme | Relationships & Character | Relationships & Character |
| Example | She loved her friend so much that she even cherished her friend's peculiar habits | He fell in love with her the moment he saw her. |
爱屋及乌 (love the house, love the crow on it) is about loving everything associated with someone you love, while 一见钟情 is love at first sight. Extended love vs instant love.
爱屋及乌 literally means "Love house and its crow" and is used to describe "Love extends to all connections." This tender expression describes how love (爱) for a house (屋) extends (及) even to the crow (乌) perched on its roof. Dating back to the Warring States period, it first appeared in texts discussing how
一见钟情 literally means "One glance, feelings concentrate" and is used to describe "Love at first sight." This idiom describes at one (一) glance (见) feelings (情) concentrate (钟). It captures the experience of instant romantic attraction where love strikes at first sight. The phrase appeared in classical l
Use 爱屋及乌 when you want to emphasize "Love extends to all connections." Use 一见钟情 when you want to emphasize "Love at first sight." 爱屋及乌 (love the house, love the crow on it) is about loving everything associated with someone you love, while 一见钟情 is love at first sight. Extended love vs instant love.