喜欢【xǐhuan】

喜欢 takes either a noun or a whole action.

Nothing goes between 喜欢 and the verb. English needs "to read" or "reading"; Chinese puts the bare verb straight after.

Negation

不喜欢. 没喜欢 is not said – liking something is a state, not an event.

It behaves like an adjective for degree

很, 非常 and 最 sit in front of it, which ordinary action verbs do not allow.

最喜欢的 plus a noun is how "favourite" is said – there is no single word for it.

Questions

喜欢 against 爱

爱 is stronger and mostly reserved for people, though 我爱吃饺子 is common in casual speech.