已婚

The Chinese word 已婚 (yǐ hūn) is a highly common and essential vocabulary item that translates directly to the English adjective 'married'. To truly understand its depth, we must break down its morphological roots. The word is composed of two distinct characters: '已' (yǐ) and '婚' (hūn). The first character, '已', is an adverbial morpheme meaning 'already' or 'completed'. It is the same character found in words like 已经 (yǐ jīng - already) and 已知 (yǐ zhī - known). The second character, '婚', means 'marriage' or 'to marry', appearing in common words such as 结婚 (jié hūn - to get married) and 婚礼 (hūn lǐ - wedding). When combined, they literally mean 'already married', which functions in modern standard Mandarin primarily as an adjective describing a person's marital status. This is a formal, precise term most frequently encountered in administrative, legal, and formal social contexts. Understanding this word is crucial for anyone navigating life in a Chinese-speaking environment, as marital status is a fundamental demographic category used in everything from visa applications and hospital registration forms to human resources documents and census surveys. Unlike the verb 结婚 (to marry), which describes the action or event of getting married, 已婚 describes the enduring state of being married. This distinction is vital for learners to grasp early on, as confusing the state (adjective) with the action (verb) is a common pitfall. In Chinese culture, marriage holds profound familial and societal significance, often viewed not just as a union of two individuals, but as the merging of two families and the fulfillment of filial duties. Consequently, one's status as 已婚 carries specific social expectations and responsibilities. It implies adulthood, stability, and often, the expectation of starting a family. When you see or hear this word, it is usually in a context where categorization is necessary. For instance, on a form, you will typically see checkboxes for 未婚 (unmarried/single), 已婚 (married), 离婚 (divorced), and sometimes 丧偶 (widowed). Grasping the precise meaning and appropriate context for 已婚 will significantly enhance your reading comprehension of formal documents and your ability to accurately convey your own personal information in professional or administrative settings.

Morphological Breakdown

已 (yǐ): already, finished, completed. 婚 (hūn): marriage, wedding, to marry.

Grammatical Function

Functions primarily as an adjective or an attributive noun modifier. It does not take objects.

Cultural Nuance

In traditional contexts, being '已婚' is seen as a milestone of true adulthood and social responsibility.

Mastering the usage of 已婚 requires an understanding of its syntactic roles in Mandarin Chinese. As an adjective denoting a state, it behaves differently from action verbs related to marriage. The most common way to use 已婚 is as an attributive modifier, meaning it directly modifies a noun to describe that noun's marital status. For example, you will frequently encounter phrases like 已婚人士 (married people), 已婚妇女 (married women), 已婚男性 (married men), and 已婚家庭 (married families). In these cases, it functions exactly like an adjective in English, placed directly before the noun it modifies. Notice that the structural particle 的 (de) is often omitted when 已婚 modifies a two-character noun, creating a tight, formal compound. However, if you are using it in a more descriptive, less formal clause, you might include 的, such as 那个已婚的男人 (that married man). Another primary way to use 已婚 is as a predicate. In Chinese, adjectives can function as predicates without the need for the copula verb 是 (shì - to be). Therefore, to say 'I am married', you can simply say 我已婚 (wǒ yǐ hūn). It is important to note that while 我是已婚的 (wǒ shì yǐ hūn de) is grammatically acceptable and emphasizes the category or state, the simpler 我已婚 is more direct and commonly used in spoken language when stating facts. A critical grammatical rule to remember is that because the character 已 inherently carries the meaning of 'already' or completion, you generally should not append the perfective aspect particle 了 (le) to the end of the word. Saying 我已婚了 is considered redundant by strict grammatical standards, although you might occasionally hear it in casual speech. Instead, if you want to emphasize the change of state using 了, you should use the verb 结婚 and say 我结婚了 (I got married / I am married now). Furthermore, 已婚 cannot take an object. You cannot say 我已婚他 to mean 'I am married to him'. To express who you are married to, you must use the preposition 和 (hé) or 跟 (gēn) with the verb 结婚: 我和他结婚了 (I married him). Understanding these syntactic boundaries—its role as an attributive, its use as a predicate without 是, its incompatibility with 了, and its inability to take objects—will ensure you use 已婚 accurately and naturally in both written and spoken Chinese. Practice forming sentences using these different structures to solidify your grasp of this essential vocabulary word.

Attributive Usage

Placed directly before a noun to describe it, often without '的'. Example: 已婚人士 (married person).

Predicative Usage

Used as the main verb/adjective of the sentence. Example: 他已婚 (He is married).

Intransitive Nature

It cannot be followed by an object. You cannot '已婚' someone.

The word 已婚 permeates various facets of daily life, administration, and social interaction in Chinese-speaking societies. Its most prominent and unavoidable appearance is in the realm of bureaucracy and paperwork. Whenever you are required to fill out a form that collects demographic data, you will encounter the category of 婚姻状况 (hūn yīn zhuàng kuàng - marital status). Under this heading, 已婚 is invariably one of the primary options to select, alongside 未婚 (single/unmarried) and 离婚 (divorced). This applies to a vast array of situations: applying for a visa at an embassy, opening a bank account, registering at a hospital or clinic, signing a lease agreement, or completing onboarding documents for a new job. In these formal, written contexts, 已婚 is the standard, professional terminology. Beyond paperwork, you will frequently hear 已婚 in news reports, sociological studies, and demographic analyses. Journalists and researchers use it to categorize populations, discussing topics like the purchasing habits of 已婚家庭 (married households), the employment rates of 已婚妇女 (married women), or the psychological well-being of 已婚人士 (married individuals). In the workplace, HR departments use the term when discussing benefits, as some companies offer specific allowances or leave policies for married staff. In more casual, conversational settings, while people might use the verb phrase 结婚了 (got married) more often to describe their status, 已婚 still appears, especially when someone is formally introducing themselves or clarifying their situation in a direct manner. For instance, on dating apps or matrimonial websites, users will explicitly state their status as 未婚, 离异 (divorced), or sometimes deceptively hide their 已婚 status, which is a common trope in social dramas. You might also hear it in gossip or social commentary, such as someone warning a friend: 他已经是已婚人士了，你最好离他远点 (He is already a married person, you'd better stay away from him). During major holidays like Chinese New Year, when relatives gather, the topic of marriage is ubiquitous. While elders might ask 结婚了吗？ (Are you married yet?), the underlying concept they are inquiring about is your transition into the 已婚 state. Understanding the contexts where this word appears helps learners not only navigate administrative tasks smoothly but also comprehend social dynamics, news media, and cultural conversations surrounding family and relationships in China.

Administrative Forms

The most common place to see this word is on any official document requiring demographic information.

News and Demographics

Used heavily in journalism and research to describe segments of the population.

Social Gossip

Used to clearly define boundaries or discuss someone's availability.

When learning the word 已婚, students frequently encounter a few specific grammatical and semantic pitfalls, primarily stemming from direct translation habits from English or a misunderstanding of Chinese word classes. The most prevalent mistake is treating 已婚 as a transitive verb. In English, you can say 'I married him'. Direct translation often leads learners to say '我已婚他' (wǒ yǐ hūn tā). This is entirely incorrect in Chinese. 已婚 is an adjective describing a state, not an action verb that can take an object. To express 'married to someone', you must use the verb 结婚 (jié hūn) along with a preposition like 和 (hé) or 跟 (gēn): 我和他结婚了 (I am married to him). Another very common error is the redundant use of the aspect particle 了 (le). Because learners are taught that 了 indicates completion or a change of state, and marriage is a change of state, they often say 我已婚了. However, the character 已 (yǐ) inherently means 'already'. Adding 了 creates a semantic redundancy, akin to saying 'I am already married already'. While native speakers might occasionally let this slip in fast, casual speech, it is grammatically poor. The correct forms are either 我已婚 (stating the adjective fact) or 我结婚了 (using the verb with the completion particle). A third mistake involves confusing the formal adjective 已婚 with the action verb 结婚 in contexts where an action is required. For instance, if you want to ask 'When did you get married?', you cannot ask '你什么时候已婚？'. You must ask '你什么时候结婚的？'. 已婚 describes the current status, not the historical event. Finally, learners sometimes struggle with the negation of 已婚. To say you are not married, you do not say 不已婚 (bù yǐ hūn) or 没已婚 (méi yǐ hūn). Instead, you use the specific antonym 未婚 (wèi hūn - unmarried) or the colloquial phrase 没结婚 (méi jié hūn - haven't married). Understanding these distinctions—that it cannot take an object, does not need 了, cannot replace the verb for the action of marrying, and has a specific antonym for negation—will drastically reduce errors and make your Chinese sound much more natural and precise.

Transitive Verb Error

Incorrect: 我已婚他。 Correct: 我和他结婚了。 You cannot use an object after 已婚.

Redundant '了'

Incorrect: 我已婚了。 Correct: 我已婚。 The '已' already implies completion.

Incorrect Negation

Incorrect: 不已婚 / 没已婚。 Correct: 未婚 / 没结婚。

To fully integrate 已婚 into your vocabulary, it is highly beneficial to compare it with similar words related to marriage in Chinese. The most obvious comparison is with 结婚 (jié hūn). As discussed, 结婚 is the verb meaning 'to marry' or 'to get married'. It focuses on the action or the event. You use 结婚 when talking about weddings, the decision to marry, or the act of marrying someone (我和她结婚了). 已婚, conversely, is the adjective describing the resulting state. Another related term is 结过婚 (jié guò hūn). This literally translates to 'have experienced marriage'. It is used to emphasize that someone has been married at some point in their life. Interestingly, someone who is 结过婚 might currently be divorced (离婚) or widowed (丧偶). Therefore, while all 已婚 people are 结过婚, not all 结过婚 people are currently 已婚. This is a crucial distinction in nuanced conversations about someone's past. Another phrase you might encounter is 成家 (chéng jiā), which literally means 'to form a family'. This is a more traditional and slightly colloquial way to say someone has gotten married and settled down. It carries a warm, cultural connotation of establishing a household and taking on adult responsibilities. Elders often use it: 你什么时候成家啊？ (When are you going to settle down/get married?). While 成家 implies the state of being married, it is less formal than 已婚 and focuses more on the family unit rather than the legal status. Finally, there is the phrase 有家室 (yǒu jiā shì), meaning 'to have a family/spouse'. This is often used to politely or firmly indicate that someone is not available for romantic pursuits because they already have a spouse and family obligations. It emphasizes the existence of a family unit tying the person down. By understanding these subtle differences—the formal state (已婚), the action (结婚), the past experience (结过婚), the traditional settling down (成家), and the existence of family ties (有家室)—you can navigate conversations about marriage in Chinese with much greater precision and cultural sensitivity.

结婚 (jié hūn) vs 已婚 (yǐ hūn)

结婚 is the verb (to marry); 已婚 is the adjective (married). Action vs. State.

结过婚 (jié guò hūn) vs 已婚

结过婚 means 'has been married before' (could be divorced now). 已婚 means currently married.

有家室 (yǒu jiā shì) vs 已婚

有家室 emphasizes having a spouse/family, often used to deter romantic interest. 已婚 is neutral.