| 情侣 | qíng lu:3 | sweethearts / lovers |   |
| 有情人 | yǒu qíng rén | lovers | |
| 爱侣 | ài lu:3 | lovers | |
| 梁祝 | Liáng Zhù | The Butterfly Lovers, Chinese folktale / abbr. for 梁山伯與祝英台|梁山伯与祝英台[Liang2 Shan1 bo2 yu3 Zhu4 Ying1 tai2] | |
| 才子佳人 | cái zǐ jiā rén | gifted scholar, beautiful lady (idiom) / pair of ideal lovers | |
| 脚踏两条船 | jiǎo tà liǎng tiáo chuán | lit. to stand with each foot in a different boat (idiom) / fig. to have it both ways / to run after two hares / (especially) to have two lovers at the same time | |
| 野鸳鸯 | yě yuān yāng | wild mandarin duck / (derog.) illicit lovers / unorthodox couple | |
| 牛郎织女 | niú láng zhī nu:3 | Cowherd and Weaving maid (characters in folk story) / separated lovers / Altair and Vega (stars) | |
| 佳人才子 | jiā rén cái zǐ | beautiful lady, gifted scholar (idiom) / pair of ideal lovers | |
| 采兰赠芍 | cǎi lán zèng sháo | lit. pick orchids and present peonies (idiom) / fig. presents between lovers | |
| 烈火干柴 | liè huǒ gān chái | lit. intense fire to dry wood (idiom) / inferno in a woodpile / fig. consuming passion between lovers | |
| 藕断丝连 | ǒu duàn sī lián | lit. lotus roots may break, but the fiber remains joined (idiom) / lovers part, but still long for one another | |
| 彤管贻 | tóng guǎn yí | presents between lovers | |
| 梁山伯与祝英台 | Liáng Shān bó yǔ Zhù Yīng tái | The Butterfly Lovers, Chinese folktale of the tragic love between Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai | |
| 赠芍 | zèng sháo | to give peonies / fig. exchange of gifts between lovers | |
| 不是冤家不聚头 | bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu | destiny will make enemies meet (idiom) / (often said about lovers who have a disagreement) | |
