Proposals & engagement in Chinese 求婚订婚
qiúhūn dìnghūn
Propose (marriage) in Chinese is 求婚 (qiú hūn).
Also searched for as: marriage proposal, will you marry me, engagement, engagement ring, getting engaged, propose.
One knee, one ring, one very big question. 15 essential proposals & engagement words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
To propose in Chinese is 求婚 (qiú hūn), literally "to ask for marriage", and the big question is 你愿意嫁给我吗 (nǐ yuàn yì jià gěi wǒ ma), "will you marry me?". The hoped-for answer is 我愿意 (wǒ yuàn yì). Once you've said yes you can 订婚 (dìng hūn), get engaged, with a 未婚夫 (wèi hūn fū) or 未婚妻 (wèi hūn qī), and the next step is 领证 (lǐng zhèng), registering the marriage.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 求婚 | qiú hūn | to propose |
| 你愿意嫁给我吗 | nǐ yuàn yì jià gěi wǒ ma | will you marry me? |
| 我愿意 | wǒ yuàn yì | I will; I do |
| 单膝跪地 | dān xī guì dì | to go down on one knee |
| 戒指 | jiè zhi | ring |
| 钻戒 | zuàn jiè | diamond ring |
| 惊喜 | jīng xǐ | surprise |
| 订婚 | dìng hūn | to get engaged |
| 未婚夫 | wèi hūn fū | fiancé |
| 未婚妻 | wèi hūn qī | fiancée |
| 娶 | qǔ | to marry (a woman) |
| 嫁 | jià | to marry (a man) |
| 结婚 | jié hūn | to get married |
| 领证 | lǐng zhèng | to get a marriage certificate |
| 闪婚 | shǎn hūn | whirlwind marriage |
Usage tips
- 嫁 (jià) is used for a woman marrying a man and 娶 (qǔ) for a man marrying a woman, so the classic proposal from a man is 你愿意嫁给我吗. 结婚 (jié hūn) is neutral and works for anyone.
- In mainland China a marriage becomes legal when the couple 领证 (lǐng zhèng), collecting their marriage certificate, and the wedding banquet may come before or after. Many couples pick a meaningful date such as 20 May, because 520 sounds like 我爱你.
- In some families 订婚 (dìng hūn) is a formal occasion involving both sets of parents, not just a private moment. 求婚 is the question; 订婚 is the agreed engagement.
Common mistakes
- 结婚 (jié hūn) doesn't take an object, so 我想结婚你 is wrong. Say 我想跟你结婚 (wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ jié hūn).
- English speakers mix up 未婚夫 (wèi hūn fū), fiancé, and 未婚妻 (wèi hūn qī), fiancée. Remember 夫 (fū) as in 丈夫 (zhàng fu), husband, and 妻 (qī) as in 妻子 (qī zi), wife.
Mini dialogue
- A快看我的手！Kuài kàn wǒ de shǒu!Quick, look at my hand!
- B哇，钻戒！他跟你求婚了？Wā, zuàn jiè! Tā gēn nǐ qiú hūn le?Wow, a diamond ring! Did he propose?
- A对！昨天晚上他突然单膝跪地，问我愿不愿意嫁给他。Duì! Zuó tiān wǎn shang tā tū rán dān xī guì dì, wèn wǒ yuàn bu yuàn yì jià gěi tā.Yes! Last night he suddenly got down on one knee and asked if I'd marry him.
- B太浪漫了！你们打算什么时候结婚？Tài làng màn le! Nǐ men dǎ suàn shén me shí hou jié hūn?That's so romantic! When are you planning to get married?
- A我们想先订婚，明年再领证。Wǒ men xiǎng xiān dìng hūn, míng nián zài lǐng zhèng.We want to get engaged first and register next year.
Example sentences
- 他昨天跟我求婚了！He proposed to me yesterday!
- 他单膝跪地问：“你愿意嫁给我吗？”He knelt down and asked, "Will you marry me?"
- 她感动得哭了，说：“我愿意！”She was so moved she cried and said yes!
- 他突然单膝跪地。He suddenly got down on one knee.
- 这枚戒指太美了！This ring is gorgeous!
- 求婚一定要钻戒吗？Do you need a diamond ring to propose?
- 他给了我一个大惊喜。He gave me a big surprise.
- 我们下个月订婚。We're getting engaged next month.
- 这是我未婚夫。This is my fiancé.
- 他的未婚妻是老师。His fiancée is a teacher.
- 我这辈子非你不娶。You're the only one I'll ever marry.
- 她嫁给了大学同学。She married a classmate from university.
- 你们打算什么时候结婚？When are you planning to get married?
- 我们打算520那天去领证。We're planning to register our marriage on 20 May.
- 他们认识一个月就闪婚了。They married just a month after they met.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Proposals & engagement speaking island has 8 everyday questions about proposals & engagement to prepare your own answers to.