§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
Let's break down 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī). This word literally translates to 'not yet married wife'. Pretty straightforward, right? It's the Chinese term for 'fiancée'. So, if you're talking about a woman who is engaged to be married but isn't yet, this is the word you'll use.
- DEFINITION
- The woman to whom a man is engaged to be married; a betrothed woman.
You'll hear 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) used in everyday conversations, just like you'd use 'fiancée' in English. It's a common term when people are talking about engagements, wedding plans, or introducing their future spouse. Think of it as a formal but universally understood way to refer to someone who is in that in-between stage of being engaged but not yet married.
这是我的未婚妻，Lily。
Translation hint: This is my fiancée, Lily.
It's important to remember that in Chinese culture, engagements are often a significant step before marriage, and using the correct terminology shows respect for that tradition. While some younger couples might use more casual terms or just introduce their partner as their 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' even after being engaged, 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) is the precise and widely accepted term.
You wouldn't use this term for someone you are just dating. It specifically implies a formal commitment to marriage has been made. If you introduce your girlfriend as your 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) when you're not actually engaged, it could lead to some confusion or even awkward situations! Be clear about your relationship status when using this word.
他和他的未婚妻正在计划婚礼。
Translation hint: He and his fiancée are planning the wedding.
So, in summary, use 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) when you're referring to a woman who is engaged to be married. It's precise, respectful, and universally understood in Chinese. It's a foundational vocabulary word for anyone learning about relationships and family in Chinese culture.
알아야 할 문법
Possessive marker 的 (de) is used to show possession. For close relationships like fiancée, it is often omitted when the context is clear.
这是我未婚妻。 (Zhè shì wǒ wèihūnqī.) This is my fiancée.
When introducing someone, you can use 是 (shì) meaning 'is/am/are'.
她是我未婚妻。 (Tā shì wǒ wèihūnqī.) She is my fiancée.
Measure words are typically used before nouns. For '未婚妻', you would generally use 个 (gè) if you needed to count them, but it's often omitted when speaking generally.
我有一个未婚妻。 (Wǒ yǒu yī gè wèihūnqī.) I have a fiancée.
Adjectives can precede '未婚妻' to describe her, e.g., 漂亮的 (piàoliang de) beautiful.
我有一个漂亮的未婚妻。 (Wǒ yǒu yī gè piàoliang de wèihūnqī.) I have a beautiful fiancée.
Questions about someone's relationship can use 谁 (shéi) meaning 'who'.
她是谁？ (Tā shì shéi?) Who is she? 她是我的未婚妻。 (Tā shì wǒ de wèihūnqī.) She is my fiancée.
문법 패턴
문장 패턴
她 是 我 的 未婚妻。
Tā shì wǒ de wèihūnqī. (She is my fiancée.)
我 的 未婚妻 很 漂亮。
Wǒ de wèihūnqī hěn piàoliang. (My fiancée is very beautiful.)
他 和 他 的 未婚妻 计划 明年 结婚。
Tā hé tā de wèihūnqī jìhuà míngnián jiéhūn. (He and his fiancée plan to get married next year.)
我 正在 给 我 的 未婚妻 准备 一个 惊喜。
Wǒ zhèngzài gěi wǒ de wèihūnqī zhǔnbèi yīgè jīngxǐ. (I am preparing a surprise for my fiancée.)
他们 宣布 了 订婚，她 也 成 了 他 的 未婚妻。
Tāmen xuānbù le dìnghūn, tā yě chéng le tā de wèihūnqī. (They announced their engagement, and she became his fiancée.)
作为 未婚妻，她 对 婚礼 的 细节 非常 投入。
Zuòwéi wèihūnqī, tā duì hūnlǐ de xìjié fēicháng tóurù. (As a fiancée, she is very involved in the details of the wedding.)
他 带着 未婚妻 去 参加 了 一个 家庭 聚会。
Tā dàizhe wèihūnqī qù cānjiā le yīgè jiātíng jùhuì. (He took his fiancée to a family gathering.)
在 她 成为 未婚妻 之后，她 的 生活 发生 了 很多 变化。
Zài tā chéngwéi wèihūnqī zhīhòu, tā de shēnghuó fāshēng le hěn duō biànhuà. (After she became a fiancée, many changes happened in her life.)
사용법
Use 未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) to refer to a woman who is engaged to be married. It's the female equivalent of 未婚夫 (wèihūnfū), which means fiancé. These terms are straightforward and widely understood.
A common mistake is confusing 未婚妻 with just 'girlfriend'. While a fiancée is a type of girlfriend, the term specifically implies an engagement. For example, saying '这是我未婚妻' (Zhè shì wǒ wèihūnqī - 'This is my fiancée') when you just mean 'girlfriend' would be incorrect and might cause confusion or embarrassment. Another mistake is using it for a married woman; once married, she is a 妻子 (qīzi - wife).
팁
Pronunciation practice for 未婚妻
The pinyin for 未婚妻 is wèi hūn qī. Pay attention to the tones: 4th (falling) for 未, 1st (flat) for 婚, and 1st (flat) for 妻. Practice saying it aloud until it feels natural.
Breaking down the characters of 未婚妻
未 (wèi) means not yet. 婚 (hūn) means marriage. 妻 (qī) means wife. So, literally, it's 'not yet married wife' – a fiancée.
Using 未婚妻 in a sentence
Here's a simple example: 我的未婚妻很漂亮。 (Wǒ de wèi hūn qī hěn piào liang.) My fiancée is very beautiful.
Distinguishing 未婚妻 from 'fiancé'
未婚妻 is specifically for a female. For a male fiancé, the term is 未婚夫 (wèi hūn fū), where 夫 (fū) means husband or man.
Engagement traditions in China
In some Chinese traditions, an engagement (订婚 - dìng hūn) can be a significant event, often involving a formal ceremony and gift exchange between families, solidifying the status of fiancée/fiancé.
Synonyms and related terms
While 未婚妻 is common, you might also hear 准新娘 (zhǔn xīn niáng) which literally means 'prospective new bride'. This emphasizes the 'about to be a bride' aspect.
Listen for 未婚妻 in context
Try to find Chinese dramas, movies, or songs where characters refer to their fiancée. This helps you hear the word in natural conversation and understand its usage.
Formal vs. informal usage of 未婚妻
未婚妻 is a standard and polite term. It's appropriate in both formal and informal settings when referring to someone's fiancée.
Don't confuse with 'girlfriend'
A 未婚妻 is distinct from a girlfriend (女朋友 - nǚ péng yǒu). The engagement means there's a formal commitment to marry, which is a step beyond just dating.
Practice writing 未婚妻
Write out the characters for 未婚妻 multiple times. Understanding the stroke order can also help you remember the components of each character.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) refers to a fiancée (female), while 未婚夫 (wèihūnfū) refers to a fiancé (male). The character 妻 (qī) means wife, and 夫 (fū) means husband.
The pinyin is wèihūnqī. Let's break it down:
• 未 (wèi) is the 4th tone, like 'way' but falling.
• 婚 (hūn) is the 1st tone, high and flat, like 'hoon' in 'honeymoon'.
• 妻 (qī) is the 1st tone, high and flat, like 'chee' in 'cheese'.
No, 未婚妻 specifically means 'fiancée' – someone who is engaged to be married. For a girlfriend, you would use 女朋友 (nǚpéngyou).
A simple way is: 这是我的未婚妻 (Zhè shì wǒ de wèihūnqī).
This means 'This is my fiancée.'
It's used in both formal and informal contexts. It's a straightforward term for someone who is engaged to be married.
• 未 (wèi) means 'not yet' or 'not'.
• 婚 (hūn) means 'marriage' or 'to marry'.
• 妻 (qī) means 'wife'.
So, literally, it means 'not yet married wife'.
You could ask: 你有没有未婚妻？ (Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu wèihūnqī?)
This means 'Do you have a fiancée?'
Not really any specific cultural nuances for the word itself. The concept of engagement and fiancée is similar to English-speaking cultures. It simply denotes someone who is formally engaged to be married.
他正在计划和他的未婚妻结婚。 (Tā zhèngzài jìhuà hé tā de wèihūnqī jiéhūn.)
He is planning to marry his fiancée.
未婚妻 (wèihūnqī) is a fiancée (engaged, not yet married).
老婆 (lǎopó) is a wife (already married). 老婆 is also a more informal and affectionate term for wife, whereas 妻子 (qīzi) is more formal.
셀프 테스트 36 질문
她是中国人，他也是中国人。他们是___。
The sentence describes a relationship, and '未婚妻' (fiancée) is the most fitting option if they are engaged.
我的哥哥和他的___很快就要结婚了。
If they are getting married soon, '未婚妻' (fiancée) is the correct term for his future wife.
她是他未来的妻子，所以她是他的___。
'未婚妻' (fiancée) literally means 'not yet married wife', which fits the context of 'future wife'.
我的未婚妻是我的朋友。
A fiancée is usually a friend before becoming a fiancée. The statement is generally true.
我的未婚妻是我的妈妈。
A fiancée is a person someone plans to marry, not their mother. This statement is false.
他有未婚妻，所以他没有结婚。
If someone has a fiancée, it means they are engaged but not yet married. This statement is true.
My fiancée is very beautiful.
He is going to travel with his fiancée tomorrow.
Have you met his fiancée?
Read this aloud:
我的未婚妻是医生。
Focus: wèi hūn qī
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
我爱我的未婚妻。
Focus: wèi hūn qī
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
他介绍他的未婚妻给我。
Focus: jiè shào, wèi hūn qī
당신의 답변:
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她是我朋友的___，他们打算明年结婚。
The sentence indicates that they plan to marry next year, meaning the person is currently engaged, which is 'fiancée' (未婚妻).
在求婚时，他送给___一枚戒指。
Giving a ring during a proposal is a gesture for a fiancée (未婚妻).
我的哥哥和他的___正在计划婚礼的细节。
Planning wedding details is something a groom and his fiancée (未婚妻) would do.
如果一个人还没有结婚，但已经订婚了，那这个人就是他的未婚妻。
This statement accurately describes the meaning of '未婚妻' – someone who is engaged but not yet married.
“未婚妻”指的是已经结婚的女性。
“未婚妻” refers to a woman who is engaged but not yet married. '未' means 'not yet'.
你可以在婚礼当天称呼新娘为“未婚妻”。
On the wedding day, she would be called the bride (新娘), not fiancée (未婚妻), as she is about to be married or already married.
What did I see yesterday?
What is he going to do next year?
What does my fiancée like?
Read this aloud:
他向他的未婚妻求婚了，她答应了。
Focus: 未婚妻 (wèi hūn qī)
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
他们正在为婚礼做准备，我的未婚妻很兴奋。
Focus: 未婚妻 (wèi hūn qī)
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
我的朋友介绍我认识了他的未婚妻。
Focus: 未婚妻 (wèi hūn qī)
당신의 답변:
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她是我多年的朋友，现在是我的___。
Context indicates a long-standing friendship culminating in an engagement, making '未婚妻' (fiancée) the most suitable choice.
在宣布订婚宴会时，他激动地介绍了他的___。
The phrase '宣布订婚宴会' (announce engagement banquet) directly implies the introduction of a fiancée.
他们计划明年结婚，所以她现在是他的___。
Planning to marry '明年' (next year) means she is currently engaged, thus his '未婚妻'.
他向他的___求婚，她欣然答应了。
'求婚' (propose) leads to becoming a '未婚妻' (fiancée).
为了给___一个惊喜，他秘密准备了一场旅行。
The context of preparing a surprise trip for a significant other who will soon be a wife fits '未婚妻' best.
她戴着他送的订婚戒指，骄傲地向大家展示她就是他的___。
Wearing an '订婚戒指' (engagement ring) directly signifies her status as a '未婚妻' (fiancée).
This sentence describes the origin of 'her fiancée' from an 'ancient aristocratic family.' The correct order maintains the grammatical structure of Chinese sentences, placing descriptive elements before the noun they modify.
This sentence expresses that despite the significant difference in their fiancées' social status, love brought them together. The conjunction '尽管' (jǐnguǎn) meaning 'despite' or 'although' introduces a concession, followed by the main clause. The structure '让他们走到了一起' (ràng tāmen zǒu dào le yīqǐ) is a common way to say 'made them come together'.
This sentence introduces 'this brilliant young female scientist' as 'my brother's fiancée.' The descriptive adjectives '才华横溢' (cáihuá héngyì, brilliant) and '年轻' (niánqīng, young) precede the noun '女科学家' (nǚ kēxuéjiā, female scientist), which then forms part of the predicate identifying her as 'my brother's fiancée.'
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Pronunciation practice for 未婚妻
The pinyin for 未婚妻 is wèi hūn qī. Pay attention to the tones: 4th (falling) for 未, 1st (flat) for 婚, and 1st (flat) for 妻. Practice saying it aloud until it feels natural.
Breaking down the characters of 未婚妻
未 (wèi) means not yet. 婚 (hūn) means marriage. 妻 (qī) means wife. So, literally, it's 'not yet married wife' – a fiancée.
Using 未婚妻 in a sentence
Here's a simple example: 我的未婚妻很漂亮。 (Wǒ de wèi hūn qī hěn piào liang.) My fiancée is very beautiful.
Distinguishing 未婚妻 from 'fiancé'
未婚妻 is specifically for a female. For a male fiancé, the term is 未婚夫 (wèi hūn fū), where 夫 (fū) means husband or man.
