‘又爱又恨’ is an idiomatic four-character expression describing intense emotional ambivalence—simultaneously feeling deep affection and strong resentment toward the same person, thing, or situation. Literally, it combines two parallel structures: ‘又…又…’ (‘both… and…’) with the contrasting verbs 爱 (to love) and 恨 (to hate). This structure emphasizes the coexistence and tension of opposing emotions, not a simple mixture but a conflicted, often exhausting duality.

The phrase is commonly used in informal speech and writing to describe complex interpersonal relationships—such as with a difficult yet charismatic boss, a charming but unreliable partner, or even beloved cultural phenomena with problematic aspects (e.g., a nostalgic TV show with outdated values). It conveys psychological realism rather than logical contradiction, and often carries a tone of resignation, irony, or wry self-awareness. While grammatically adjectival, it functions predicatively or attributively, typically following 是 or serving as a predicate after a subject.