The Meaning of koi suru [恋する] In Japanese

恋する
こいする
Romaji: koi suru N5

What does 恋する mean?

Translation and Meaning

to fall in love, to be in love

Definition

What does 恋する mean? It denotes falling in love or being in love in a romantic sense, often with a sense of longing or infatuation directed at a person; used in literary or poetic registers and in everyday speech when describing developing romantic feelings.

Type

Verb (suru-verb, サ変動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • to develop romantic attraction toward a particular person
  • to experience a romantic feeling that may lead to a relationship
  • often used in literature and media to depict the moment of awakening in love

Etymology

Phonology: 恋 is read with the kun’yomi koi, a noun meaning romantic love, and it combines with する to form a verb expressing the action of experiencing love; this noun-plus-suru construction yields the modern meaning of to fall in love, illustrating how a content word can be turned into a dynamic predicate in contemporary Japanese.

Composition

  • 恋 = romance, love, longing; する = a verb that turns a noun into an action, here forming a verb meaning the act of loving or falling in love

Usage

Used in casual conversation and formal writing to express developing romantic feelings; with 恋をする indicating falling in love with someone, and 恋する often describing a general romantic vibe rather than a specific action; in formal or literary contexts, other phrasings like 恋に落ちる may be preferred for idiomatic emphasis.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: remember that 恋 is love and する means to do; to recall the meaning, picture your heart actively doing love, moving toward someone you like.

Variations

  • 恋をする — koi o suru — fall in love
  • 愛する — ai suru — to love (deep, long-term)
  • 思いを寄せる — omoi o yoseru — to have feelings for someone
  • 恋愛 — ren’ai — love affair, romantic love (noun)
  • 恋に落ちる — koi ni ochiru — to fall in love (idiom)

Example Phrases

  • 職場の同僚に恋する私は、今日も頑張る。
    Shokuba no dōryō ni koi suru watashi wa, kyō mo ganbaru.
    I’m the type of person who falls in love with a coworker, and I’ll work hard today as well.
    Lista:
    • 職場の同僚に (shokuba no dōryō ni) – to a coworker
    • 恋する (koi suru) – to fall in love
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 今日も (kyō mo) – today as well
    • 頑張る (ganbaru) – work hard
    Here 「恋する」 means ‘to fall in love (with someone)’ and に marks the target person; 私は marks the topic.
恋する