How to say "lover" in Japanese

• ファンJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers 'lover' only in the sense of an enthusiast — a lover of music, sport or a particular writer. It never refers to a romantic partner.
  イギリスのサッカーファンはときどきまったく手てに負おえなくなる。↗

  British soccer fans sometimes get completely out of hand.
• 恋人こいびとJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe neutral word for a romantic partner: a sweetheart, boyfriend or girlfriend. Use it when 'lover' simply means the person you are in love with, with no suggestion of an affair.
  私は恋人こいびとを「ダーリン」と呼よびます。↗

  I call my sweetheart darling.
• 愛人あいじんCommon
  nounA lover in the sense of a mistress or illicit partner, not a sweetheart. Using it of an ordinary boyfriend or girlfriend would wrongly suggest a secret affair.
  ここだけの話はなしだが、彼かれには愛人あいじんがいる。↗

  Between ourselves, he keeps a mistress.
• アマンCommon
  nounA French loanword for a lover, covering much the same ground as 愛人; its distinctly foreign flavor makes it at home in translated fiction and stylish writing.

Use 「ファン」 for a lover of something, 恋人 for a romantic partner or sweetheart, and 愛人 or 「アマン」 when 'lover' means a mistress or illicit partner.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ファンfan
• 恋人こいびとlover
• 愛人あいじんlover
• アマンlover
• ラバーlover
• 情婦じょうふlover
• 情人じょうじんlover
• 熱愛者ねつあいしゃlover (e.g. of cinema)
• 好き同士すきどうしlover
• 密夫みっぷlover (of a married woman)
• リーベlove
• 愛好家あいこうかenthusiast
• 愛好者あいこうしゃenthusiast
• 不倫相手ふりんあいてperson with whom one is having an illicit love affair
• 想い人おもいびとloved one
• 間夫まぶ(male) lover (esp. of a prostitute)
• 情夫じょうふ(male) lover
• 濡れぬれlover
• いい人いいひと(one's) lover
• 色男いろおとこ(male) lover
• 色いろlover