溺爱 (nì'ài): to spoil

Meanings

Fùmǔ guòdù nì'ài háizi, huì hài le tāmen.

Parents who excessively spoil their children will end up harming them.

Yéye nǎinai zǒng shì nì'ài sūnzi, shénme dōu yī zhe tā.

The grandparents always dote on their grandson, giving in to his every wish.

memory

溺 means 'to drown/submerge' — 溺爱 is love so overwhelming it drowns the recipient. The same 溺 appears in 溺水 (to drown).

usage

溺爱 always has a negative connotation — it is love that goes too far and becomes harmful. Unlike 疼爱 (to love dearly) which is neutral or positive.

溺 nì

爱 ài