jiéhūn: 结婚 - To Get Married, Marriage

• Keywords: jiéhūn, 结婚, get married in Chinese, Chinese marriage, to marry in Mandarin, Chinese wedding, Chinese culture marriage, HSK 3 vocabulary, how to say get married in Chinese
• Summary: Learn how to say “to get married” in Chinese with the word 结婚 (jiéhūn). This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and deep cultural significance. Discover how marriage in China is often a union of families, not just individuals, and learn to use 结婚 (jiéhūn) correctly in everyday conversation with practical examples and tips to avoid common mistakes for English speakers.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiéhūn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To get married; to marry.
• In a Nutshell: 结婚 (jiéhūn) is the standard and most common way to express the act of getting married in Chinese. It refers to the legal and social union of two people. In China, this event is a major life milestone that signifies not just a commitment between a couple, but also the formal joining of their two families.

• 结 (jié): This character means “to tie,” “to knot,” or “to form.” Think of the ancient practice of “tying the knot,” which literally symbolizes binding two things together. It implies creating a firm and lasting connection.
• 婚 (hūn): This character means “marriage” or “wedding.” It is composed of the radical for woman (女 nǚ) on the left and a phonetic component (昏 hūn), which originally meant “dusk” or “twilight.” This points to an ancient tradition where wedding ceremonies were held at dusk.
• Together, 结婚 (jiéhūn) literally translates to “to tie the marriage knot,” a beautifully direct and meaningful combination.

The concept of 结婚 (jiéhūn) in China is deeply rooted in cultural values that differ significantly from the West. While modern China is changing, these traditional underpinnings remain influential.

• A Union of Families: In Western culture, marriage is often viewed as the ultimate expression of two individuals' love. In China, it has traditionally been, and often still is, seen as a strategic and social union of two entire families. Parental approval, family background (门当户对 mén dāng hù duì - “a good family match”), and social standing can be as important as romantic love.
• Pragmatism and Responsibility: While romantic love (爱情 àiqíng) is increasingly important, pragmatic considerations like financial stability, homeownership, and the ability to raise children are often discussed openly and are central to the decision to 结婚. It is viewed as the beginning of fulfilling one's duty to continue the family line.
• Social Expectation and Pressure: There is immense social pressure to 结婚 by a certain age. Men and women who remain single past their late twenties may be referred to as 剩男 (shèngnán) or 剩女 (shèngnǚ)—“leftover men/women.” This reflects a collectivist value system where conforming to life stages is seen as a social responsibility. This contrasts with the more individualistic Western approach where marriage is a personal choice that can happen at any age, or not at all, with less social stigma.

结婚 (jiéhūn) is a versatile, neutral term used in almost all situations, from casual conversation to formal announcements.

• Announcing Intentions: It's common for couples to announce their plans by saying, “我们准备结婚了 (Wǒmen zhǔnbèi jiéhūn le)” - “We are preparing to get married.”
• Asking Marital Status: The most common way to ask if someone is married is “你结婚了吗？(Nǐ jiéhūn le ma?)” - “Are you married?”
• In Conversation: People discuss marriage as a major life topic, asking friends things like, “你打算什么时候结婚？(Nǐ dǎsuàn shénme shíhou jiéhūn?)” - “When do you plan to get married?”
• Modern Weddings: While the act is called 结婚, the ceremony itself is a 婚礼 (hūnlǐ). Modern weddings in China often blend Western elements (white dress, rings) with Chinese traditions like the tea ceremony for elders and the giving of red envelopes (红包 hóngbāo).

• Example 1:
  • 他们明年结婚。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen míngnián jiéhūn.
  • English: They are getting married next year.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct statement of a future plan. This is a very common way to use the term.
• Example 2:
  • 你结婚了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ jiéhūn le ma?
  • English: Are you married?
  • Analysis: The particle “了 (le)” combined with “吗 (ma)” is used here to ask about a change of status—have you entered the state of being married?
• Example 3:
  • 我想跟我的女朋友结婚。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng gēn wǒ de nǚpéngyou jiéhūn.
  • English: I want to marry my girlfriend.
  • Analysis: This shows the crucial “跟 (gēn)…结婚” structure, meaning “to marry… (with)”. See “Nuances and Common Mistakes” for more on this.
• Example 4:
  • 恭喜你们结婚！
  • Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐmen jiéhūn!
  • English: Congratulations on your marriage!
  • Analysis: A standard celebratory phrase you would say to a newly married couple.
• Example 5:
  • 在中国，很多人觉得应该三十岁以前结婚。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, hěn duō rén juéde yīnggāi sānshí suì yǐqián jiéhūn.
  • English: In China, many people feel one should get married before the age of 30.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the cultural expectation and pressure surrounding marriage in China.
• Example 6:
  • 我们是去年结婚的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shì qùnián jiéhūn de.
  • English: We got married last year.
  • Analysis: The “是…的 (shì…de)” construction is used here to emphasize the time (last year) when the action of getting married took place.
• Example 7:
  • 结婚是人生中的一件大事。
  • Pinyin: Jiéhūn shì rénshēng zhōng de yī jiàn dà shì.
  • English: Getting married is a major event in one's life.
  • Analysis: Here, “结婚” functions as a gerund (the act of getting married) and the subject of the sentence.
• Example 8:
  • 领了结婚证，他们才算是合法夫妻。
  • Pinyin: Lǐng le jiéhūnzhèng, tāmen cái suànshì héfǎ fūqī.
  • English: Only after receiving the marriage certificate are they considered a legally married couple.
  • Analysis: This highlights the legal aspect of marriage and introduces the related term 结婚证 (jiéhūnzhèng), the marriage certificate.
• Example 9:
  • 他为了结婚，正在努力赚钱买房子。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèile jiéhūn, zhèngzài nǔlì zhuànqián mǎi fángzi.
  • English: In order to get married, he is working hard to earn money to buy a house.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects the practical and financial considerations often tied to marriage in modern China.
• Example 10:
  • 即使父母不同意，他们还是决定结婚。
  • Pinyin: Jíshǐ fùmǔ bù tóngyì, tāmen háishì juédìng jiéhūn.
  • English: Even though their parents didn't agree, they still decided to get married.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the tension that can exist between traditional family expectations and modern individual choice.

• Mistake 1: Using it as a noun for “marriage”.
  • 结婚 (jiéhūn) is a verb: “to get married.” The abstract noun for the institution of “marriage” is 婚姻 (hūnyīn).
  • Incorrect: 他们的结婚很幸福。(Tāmen de jiéhūn hěn xìngfú.)
  • Correct: 他们的婚姻很幸福。(Tāmen de hūnyīn hěn xìngfú.) - Their marriage is very happy.
  • Correct: 他们结婚了。(Tāmen jiéhūn le.) - They got married.
• Mistake 2: The “marry someone” structure.
  • In English, you “marry someone.” A direct translation is grammatically wrong in Chinese. You must use the structure A 跟 B 结婚 (A gēn B jiéhūn), which means “A with B get married.” The preposition 和 (hé) can also be used instead of 跟 (gēn).
  • Incorrect: 我要结婚你。(Wǒ yào jiéhūn nǐ.)
  • Correct: 我要跟你结婚。(Wǒ yào gēn nǐ jiéhūn.) - I want to marry you.

• 婚姻 (hūnyīn) - The noun for “marriage” as an institution or state. 结婚 is the action; 婚姻 is the result.
• 婚礼 (hūnlǐ) - The wedding ceremony or celebration.
• 离婚 (líhūn) - To get divorced. The direct antonym of 结婚.
• 订婚 (dìnghūn) - To get engaged. The step before 结婚.
• 求婚 (qiúhūn) - To propose marriage; a proposal.
• 新郎 (xīnláng) - Groom.
• 新娘 (xīnniáng) - Bride.
• 结婚证 (jiéhūnzhèng) - The official marriage certificate.
• 爱情 (àiqíng) - Romantic love, the modern basis for many marriages.
• 剩女 (shèngnǚ) - “Leftover woman,” a cultural term for an unmarried woman (often educated and urban) past her late 20s.