sweetheart

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 本词

  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

  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。