beloved

Compared meaning: deeply loved or valued (adjective).

比较义项：表示深受喜爱、珍视（形容词）。

• dear

  Dear is a mild, common term of affection, typically used to address or describe someone loved, especially in greetings and letters.

  dear 语气温和、较为常用，常用来称呼或形容被喜爱的人，尤其出现在问候语和书信开头。

  Dear Mr. Smith, thank you for your prompt reply to my email.

  亲爱的史密斯先生，谢谢您及时回复我的邮件。

• favorite

  Favorite expresses preference: it names the one liked best among several options, without necessarily implying deep emotional attachment.

  favorite 表示偏好：指在多个选项中最喜欢的那一个，不一定带有深厚的感情。

  Chocolate ice cream has always been her favorite dessert at parties.

  巧克力冰淇淋一直是她在聚会上最喜爱的甜点。

• beloved 本词

  Beloved conveys strong, deep affection and is often used in formal or literary contexts for a person, pet, or thing cherished dearly.

  beloved 表达强烈而深厚的感情，常用于正式或文学语境，形容备受珍爱的人、宠物或事物。

  The old teacher was beloved by generations of students in the town.

  这位老教师深受镇上一代又一代学生的爱戴。

Dear, favorite, and beloved all show love, but with different strength. Dear is mild, often used to address someone. Favorite means the one liked best among choices, without deep feeling. Beloved is strongest, often literary, for a person or thing. This excludes dear meaning expensive.

这三个词都表示「被喜爱、被珍视」，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：dear 语气温和，常用于称呼或书信开头；favorite 强调在多个选项中最受偏爱，不一定带有深厚感情；beloved 语气最强烈，常用于正式或文学语境，表达深切的爱。这里不比较 dear 表示「昂贵的」的其他用法。

Compared meaning: a name used for someone you love (noun).

比较义项：对所爱之人的称呼（名词）。

• honey

  Honey is a very casual spoken term of address to a loved one, a child, or even a stranger (e.g. a waitress to a customer), almost never used to refer to someone in the third person.

  honey 是非常口语化的当面称呼，可用于爱人、孩子，甚至陌生人（如服务员称呼顾客），几乎不用于第三人称提及某人。

  The waitress set down the plate and said, 'Here you go, honey.'

  服务员放下盘子说：“给您，亲爱的。”

• sweetheart

  Sweetheart specifically implies a romantic partner (or an affectionately regarded child), and works both as a direct address and as a reference to that person.

  sweetheart 特指恋人（或用来亲昵地称呼孩子），既可用作当面称呼，也可用于提及某人。

  He called his sweetheart every night before going to sleep.

  他每晚睡前都会给他的心上人打电话。

• dear

  Dear is a mild, polite endearment commonly used as the opening salutation of a letter or by anyone speaking warmly to someone, without necessarily implying romantic love.

  dear 是一种温和、礼貌的爱称，常用作书信开头的称呼语，或用于亲切地称呼任何人，不一定表示恋爱关系。

  The letter began, 'Dear Grandma, I miss you so much.'

  信的开头写道：“亲爱的奶奶，我非常想你。”

• beloved 本词

  Beloved is a formal or literary noun for a deeply, often solemnly loved person, mostly used to refer to that person (e.g. 'my beloved') rather than as a direct address.

  beloved 是较为正式或文学化的名词，指被深深爱着、常带庄重意味的人，多用于提及（如 my beloved），很少用作当面称呼。

  In his eulogy, he spoke tenderly about his beloved of forty years.

  在悼词中，他深情地讲述了与他相伴四十年的挚爱之人。

These words all name someone you love, but differ in tone. Honey is casual, said to loved ones. Sweetheart means a romantic partner. Dear is mild, as in letters. Beloved is formal, for a loved person. This excludes honey (food) and dear as an adjective.

这几个词都能指称“心爱的人”，但语气、正式程度以及是当面称呼还是书面／第三人称提及有所不同；这里不涉及 honey 作“蜂蜜”的义项，也不涉及 dear 作形容词“亲爱的”或感叹词的用法。