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I Miss You in Chinese — Characters, Phrases, Classical Poems, and Quotes for Longing Love

This article brings together a collection of Chinese characters, phrases, idioms, poems, and quotes that beautifully capture the sentiments of yearning and desire for love.

 

Through these expressions, the emotions of longing and anticipation for a deep romantic connection are elegantly conveyed.

chinese flower painting with love poem

Chinese Idioms About Longing Love

  • 刻骨相思: Deep lovesick that like engraved in bone.

  • 拳拳在念: Sincere and constant missing.

  • 一日三秋: One day feels as long as three seasons if one cannot see the beloved person. 

  • 望穿秋水: Sincere longing for loved ones' return.

  • 念念不忘: Constantly think about someone or something.

  • 月明千里: The moon lightens on earth so widely that even apart people can appreciate the same moonlight, which represents the deep missing of the loved one. 

  • 朝思暮想: Miss someone day and night.

Court Ladies Appreciating a Dance by Zhou Wenju

Painting "Court Ladies Appreciating a Dance" by Zhou Wenju (about 907 — 975)

Chinese Poems About Longing Love

  • 相见亦无事,别后常思君。Li E (1692 — 1752)

 

We have nothing special to do or talk about, yet being apart I would miss you nonstop. 

 

  • 相思相见知何日,此时此夜难为情。Li Bai (701 — 762)

 

Yearning and wondering when we can be together; this moment, this night, the pining is hard to suffer. 

  • 相恨不如潮有信,相思始觉海非深。Bai Juyi (772 — 846)

 

Hate that you are not as credible and regular as the tide, miss you realize the sea is not deep (as how I miss you).

 

  • 只缘感君一回顾,从此思君朝与暮。A folk song of the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD)

 

You glanced back once; I pine day and night since. 

Mandarin Duck (Love Bird Yuanyang) Decorated Gold Pendant of the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644)

Mandarin Duck (Love Bird Yuanyang) Decorated Gold Pendant of the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644) — Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute (Photo by Dongmaiying)

  • 思君令人老,岁月忽已晚。Poem collections of the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD)

Pining for you haggard me; suddenly another year passed away.​

 

If don't believe my tears of pining for you, open my suitcases and let (tear stains of) the old dresses tell. 

  • 玲珑骰子安红豆,入骨相思知不知。Wen Tingyun  (about 812 — 866)

 

Red beans inlay in the dice, is my deep longing carved in bones.

  • 我有所念人,隔在远远乡。Bai Juyi (772 — 846)

I have someone in my heart, being separated far apart.​

Lady Playing Pipa in Song Dynasty Painting
  • 平生不会相思,才会相思,便害相思。Xu Zaisi (about 1280 — 1330)

 

I knew nothing of lovesickness in the past; the moment I understood; deep longing flowed on without end. 

 

  • 一日不见,如三秋兮。The Classic of Poetry, or The Book of Songs, or Shijing, compiled by Confucius (551 BC  — 479 BC).

 

One day I do not see you; it feels as long as three seasons. 

  • 似此星辰非昨夜,为谁风露立中宵。Huang Jingren (1749 — 1783)

 

Today's stars are no longer yesterday's sight; for whom did I stand amid wind and dew till midnight.

 

  • 晓看天色暮看云,行也思君,坐也思君。Tang Yin  (1470 — 1524)

Seeing the sky at dawn and clouds at dusk, walking I miss you, sitting I miss you. 

Monkey Watching the Sea or Houzi Guanhai of Huangshan Mountain

Monkey Shaped Stone on Huangshan Mountain with A Legend of Pining for Love, Photo from Official Site of Huangshan.

  • 衣带渐宽终不悔,为伊消得人憔悴。Liu Yong  (about 984 — 1053)

 

Clothes and belts are loosening, yet no regret; pining for you, I willingly grew thin and pallid.

 

  • 生当复来归,死当长相思。Su Wu (140 BC — 60 BC)

 

Alive I will return to you, dead I will forever miss you.

 

  • 天涯地角有穷时,只有相思无尽处。Yan Shu  (991 — 1055)

 

Grand heaven and earth all have extent, yet only lovesickness has no end. 

  • 孤灯不明思欲绝,卷帷望月空长叹。Li Bai (701 — 762)

Facing a lonely dim lamp my pain of pining filled the sky; gazing at the moon through rolled drape I can only sigh.

Lady Gazing at the sky in Painting from Ming Dynasty
  • 天不老,情难绝。心似双丝网,中有千千结。Zhang Xian (990 — 1078)

 

Heaven never ages; love never severs. My heart is like a net woven by yearning, with thousands of untied knots.

 

  • 此曲有意无人传,愿随春风寄燕然,忆君迢迢隔青天。Li Bai (701 — 762)

 

The song is full of love yet has no one to assign; wishing the spring breeze could take it to the borderline, to the person I pine for on the other side of the sky.

 

  • 浅情终似,行云无定,犹到梦魂中。Yan Jidao (1037 — 1110)

 

The affection with little depth, like unstable drifting clouds, yet I can meet you in dreams.

  • 花自飘零水自流。一种相思,两处闲愁。Li Qingzhao (1084 — 1155)

Flowers drift and water flows on its own. One kind of longing, in two places we sorrow.

Tang Dynasty Lady Playing Musical Instrument Qin
  • 相思难表,梦魂无据,惟有归来是。Ouyang Xiu  (1007 — 1072)

Longing is hard to tell; dreams leave no trail; only the day you return can make everything real.

  • 相见争如不见,有情何似无情。Sima Guang (1019 — 1086)

 

Pain after departing is deeper than pining; affection is more bitter than heartless being.

  • 直道相思了无益,未妨惆怅是清狂。Li Shangyin (about 813 — 858)

 

Even my longing is never beneficial, the melancholy heart is the proof of my devoted love.

  • 落红不是无情物,化作春泥更护花。Gong Zizhen (1792 — 1841)

 

Falling petals are not ruthless, they turn into mud and nurture flowers' spring rebirth.

falling petals
  • 相思一夜情多少,地角天涯未是长。Zhang Zhongsu (about 769 — 819)

 

Comparing the countless longings in one night, the ends of heaven and earth are not that distant.

 

  • 换我心,为你心,始知相忆深。Gu Xiong of Five Dynasties (907 — 960)

 

Only by exchanging your heart for mine, will you understand how deep is my pine.

  • 无情不似多情苦,一寸还成千万缕。Yan Shu (991 — 1055)

 

Being heartless is not as bitter as lovesickness; a shred of longing can grow into millions.

  • 相思似海深,旧事如天远。Le Wan of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 — 1279)

 

Longing runs deep, like the boundless sea; beautiful memories drift afar, like heavenly clouds.

Landscape Painting from Qing Dynasty
  • 若教眼底无离恨,不信人间有白头。Xin Qiji (1140 — 1207)

 

If I were not suffering the sorrow of parting, I would never believe one's hair could gray from pining.

  • 明月不谙离恨苦,斜光到晓穿朱户。Yan Shu (991 — 1055)

 

The moon is unaware of the sorrow of parting's plight; Sheds its light through the empty door until morning light.

  • 从别后,忆相逢,几回魂梦与君同。Yan Jidao (1037 — 1110)

 

Since we last parted ways, recalling our rendezvous days, constantly embracing you in my dreams.

  • 明月楼高休独倚,酒入愁肠,化作相思泪。Fan Zhongyan (989 — 1052)

 

Moon is bright and the building is tall, one should not lean on rails without peers. Wine in a sorrowful heart, would turn into nostalgic tears.

moon and trees
  • 明月随良掾,春潮夜夜深。Wang Changling (698 — 757)

The bright moon follows the noble official who left; my longing deepens as spring tides each night.

 

  • 青青子衿,悠悠我心。The Classic of Poetry, or The Book of Songs, or Shijing, compiled by Confucius (551 BC — 479 BC).

 

Your verdant collars, my pining heart lingers.

  • 南风知我意,吹梦到西洲。Yuefu, A Poetry Collection of Southern Dynasties (420  — 589).

If the southern wind knows how I feel, please breeze my dreams to her on the Western isle.

  • 虽恨独行冬尽日,终期相见月圆时。Yu Xuanji (about 844 — 871)

Hating to be alone as winter nears its close, I yearn to meet you under the next full moon's glow.

flower-g998a83a50_640_edited.jpg
  • 红烛背,绣帘垂,梦长君不知。Wen Tingyun  (about 812 — 866)

Behind the red candle's fading glow, embroidered curtain hangs low, I dream long of you, yet you don't know.

 

  • 何堪最长夜,俱作独眠人。Bai Juyi  (772 — 846)

How can we endure the longest night, when we're sleepless, in solitude's plight.

  • 所谓伊人,在水一方。The Classic of Poetry, or The Book of Songs, or Shijing, compiled by Confucius (551 BC — 479 BC).

 

The one I adored, is at the distant waterside.

  • 东边日出西边雨,道是无晴却有晴。Liu Yuxi (772 — 842)

 

In the east, the sun ascends, in the west, the rain descends, unclear and clear, like your love's transcendence.

Changjing river
  • 一生一代一双人,争教两处销魂。Nalan Xingde (1655 — 1685)

 

A pair destined for a lifetime's bliss, how to bear the pain of parting in two places.

  • 眉间心上,无计相回避。Fan Zhongyan (989 — 1052)

Longing pains in the brows and heart, indeed it is impossible to evade.

  • 山盟虽在,锦书难托。Lu You (1125 — 1210)

Our love promise will forever remain, yet my longing letters have nowhere to convey.

  • 自在飞花轻似梦,无边丝雨细如愁。Qin Guan (1049 — 1100)

Freely fluttering petals, light as dreams; boundless rain threads, delicate as my sorrows.

fluttering petals
  • 长相思兮长相忆,短相思兮无穷极。Li Bai (701 — 762)

Eternal longing is the memory that forever lasts; ephemeral longing is the affection that has no ends.

 

  • 但教心似金钿坚,天上人间会相见。Bai Juyi (772 — 846)

As long as our hearts are firm like gold jewelry; in heaven or earth, we shall meet someday.

 

  • 多情却被无情恼,今夜还如昨夜长。Yuan Haowen (1190 — 1257)

 

Affectionate ones always vexed by heartless things; tonight, like last night, seem everlasting.

  • 遥将一点泪,远寄如花人。Li Bai (701 — 762)

I shall send pining tear from afar, to the flower-like one in my heart.

Ming Dynasty Painting of A Lady Writing Longing Poems
  • 相思本是无凭语,莫向花笺费泪行。Yan Jidao (1037 — 1110)

Longing words groundless as they sound, no need to write them down with tears unbound.

  • 青青河边草,绵绵思远道。饮马长城窟行 Yuefu of Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD)

Lush grass endlessly along the river, like my pining that will last forever.

  • 天阶夜色凉如水,坐看牵牛织女星。Du Mu (803 — 852)

On the open stone steps, night cool as water flows; seated, she watches the Cowherd and Weaver Girl’s glow.

  • 他生莫作有情痴,人间无地著相思。Kuang Zhouyi (1859 — 1926)

In the next life, may I not be a fool for pining; in this world, there is no place for such longing.

  • 燕子双飞来又去,纱窗几度春光暮。Su Shi (1037 — 1101)

Swallows in pairs, fly back and forth anew; through the gauze window, many springtimes bid adieu.

Chinese Poems About Eternal Longing Love