noun HSK 4
Traditional 婚禮
hūn
wedding · wedding ceremony · marriage ceremony

Meaning

婚礼 refers to the formal ceremony and celebration that marks a marriage. It encompasses both the official proceedings and the festivities, including the ceremony itself, banquet, and related rituals. In Chinese culture, weddings are major social events often involving elaborate preparations, family gatherings, and traditional customs.

Usage

婚礼 is the standard term for wedding ceremonies in all contexts, from casual conversation to formal writing. It's commonly used when discussing wedding planning, invitations, or describing someone's wedding. The term applies to both traditional Chinese weddings and Western-style ceremonies.

Examples

  1. 01
    他们的婚礼将在下个月举行。
    Tāmen de hūn jiāng zài xià yuè xíng.
    Their wedding will be held next month.
  2. 02
    我收到了朋友的婚礼请柬。
    shōu dào le péng yǒu de hūn qǐng jiǎn.
    I received a wedding invitation from my friend.

Characters

Measure words

  • chǎng一场婚礼
  • 参加过三次婚礼

Common collocations

  • 举行婚礼
    xíng hūn
    to hold a wedding
  • 参加婚礼
    cān jiā hūn
    to attend a wedding
  • 婚礼现场
    hūn xiàn chǎng
    wedding venue
  • 婚礼仪式
    hūn shì
    wedding ceremony

Antonyms

Origin

The character 婚 combines the woman radical 女 with 昏 (dusk), historically referring to marriages traditionally held at dusk. 礼 means ceremony or ritual, making 婚礼 literally 'marriage ceremony.'

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