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Chinese wedding words and traditions

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The wedding

  1. hūn婚lǐ礼

    wedding; wedding ceremony

  2. jié结hūn婚

    to marry; to get married

  3. xīn新láng郎

    bridegroom

  4. xīn新niáng娘

    bride

  5. xīn新rén人

    newlyweds; bride and groom

  6. bàn伴láng郎

    best man; groomsman

  7. bàn伴niáng娘

    bridesmaid

  8. sī司yí仪

    master of ceremonies; MC

  9. zhèng证hūn婚rén人

    wedding officiant; witness at a wedding

  10. hūn婚yàn宴

    wedding banquet

  11. xǐ喜jiǔ酒

    wedding feast; wedding banquet

  12. jìng敬jiǔ酒

    to propose a toast; to toast

Before the day

  1. qiú求hūn婚

    to propose (marriage)

  2. tí提qīn亲

    to propose a marriage

  3. dìng订hūn婚

    to get engaged

  4. cǎi彩lǐ礼

    bride price; betrothal gifts

  5. pìn聘lǐ礼

    betrothal gifts (from the groom's family)

  6. jià嫁zhuang妆

    dowry

  7. huáng黄dào道jí吉rì日

    auspicious day

  8. xǐ喜tiě帖

    wedding invitation

  9. lǐng领zhèng证

    to get a marriage license; to register a marriage

  10. jié结hūn婚zhèng证

    marriage certificate

  11. méi媒rén人

    matchmaker; go-between

  12. hóng红niáng娘

    matchmaker

On the day

  1. yíng迎qīn亲

    to fetch the bride (from her home for the wedding)

  2. huā花jiào轿

    bridal sedan chair

  3. bài拜táng堂

    to perform the wedding bow (traditional marriage ceremony)

  4. bài拜tiān天dì地

    to bow to heaven and earth (in a traditional wedding)

  5. jìng敬chá茶

    to serve tea (respectfully)

  6. gǎi改kǒu口

    to start calling someone by a new title (e.g. in-laws after marriage)

  7. nào闹dòng洞fáng房

    to tease newlyweds on their wedding night

  8. dòng洞fáng房

    bridal chamber

  9. huí回mén门

    bride's first visit to her parents after the wedding

What the couple wears

  1. hūn婚shā纱

    wedding dress

  2. qí旗páo袍

    qipao; cheongsam

  3. fèng凤guān冠xiá霞pèi帔

    phoenix crown and embroidered cape (traditional bridal attire)

  4. hóng红gài盖tou头

    red bridal veil (covering the bride's head)

  5. hūn婚jiè戒

    wedding ring

Red things and gifts

  1. shuāng双xǐ喜

    double happiness

  2. hóng红bāo包

    red envelope (gift of money)

  3. lǐ礼jīn金

    cash gift; monetary gift

  4. fèn份zi子qián钱

    gift money (at weddings, etc.)

  5. xǐ喜táng糖

    wedding candy

Married life

  1. jià嫁

    (of a woman) to marry

  2. qǔ娶

    to marry (a woman); to take a wife

  3. lǎo老gōng公

    husband

  4. lǎo老po婆

    wife

  5. gōng公pó婆

    husband's parents; parents-in-law

  6. yuè岳fù父mǔ母

    parents-in-law (wife's parents)

  7. xīn新hūn婚

    newly married; newlywed

  8. mì蜜yuè月

    honeymoon

  9. hūn婚fáng房

    marital home; newlyweds' apartment

What are the main Chinese wedding traditions?

Many weddings still follow the old order in a shorter form. The families agree the match, 提亲 (tíqīn), and the groom’s side sends the 彩礼 (cǎilǐ), betrothal gifts; a lucky date is chosen, a 黄道吉日 (huángdào jírì). On the morning the groom fetches the bride, 迎亲 (yíngqīn), past games her friends set at the door; the couple serve tea to their parents, 敬茶 (jìngchá); then comes the banquet, 婚宴 (hūnyàn), where they toast every table, 敬酒 (jìngjiǔ).

Why is everything red at a Chinese wedding?

Red is the colour of luck and joy. Doors and windows carry 囍 (xǐ), double happiness, two 喜 side by side, called 双喜 (shuāngxǐ). Many brides wear a red 旗袍 (qípáo) or a red embroidered gown for the tea ceremony and a white 婚纱 (hūnshā) for the photos and banquet.

What is the difference between 彩礼 and 嫁妆?

彩礼 (cǎilǐ) are the betrothal gifts, often money, from the groom’s family to the bride’s; 嫁妆 (jiàzhuang) is the dowry the bride brings to the marriage. How much each is differs a great deal by region and family.

How much money goes in a Chinese wedding red envelope?

The gift is money in a 红包 (hóngbāo), called 份子钱 (fènziqián) or 礼金 (lǐjīn). Give an even amount and avoid 4, which sounds like 死, death; how much depends on how close you are and where the wedding is. Our wedding wishes page has what to write and say with it.

How do you say marry in Chinese?

结婚 (jiéhūn) is to get married, for anyone: 我们结婚了, we got married. A woman 嫁 (jià), marries into a family: 她嫁给了他. A man 娶 (qǔ), takes a wife: 他娶了她.

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More for a Chinese wedding

Words, pinyin and meanings from our own dictionary; customs differ by region and family.