愛好

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 愛好 is read as あいこう and is a noun and する verb for sustained fondness for a hobby, art, or field.
• Basic usage: Enjoying bonsai over many years appears in 長年盆栽を愛好する, while a person devoted to local history appears in 地域の歴史を愛好する人.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The favored pursuit takes を
  • The phrase 盆栽を愛好する uses を to mark what is enjoyed over time.
• Difference from 好き
  • Compared with an everyday expression of liking, this is a more formal term for continually enjoying and valuing a pursuit.