新郎

• Pinyin: xīn láng
• Hanzi breakdown: 新 = 亲 (parent/kin) + 斤 (axe, phonetic) — new; 郎 = 良 (good) + 阝(village/hill radical) — young man, husband

Meaning

Bridegroom; groom. The male partner in a wedding ceremony.

Always used in the specific context of a wedding. 新郎 (groom) is paired with 新娘 (bride), and together they are called 新郎新娘 or simply 新人 (newlyweds). Modern Chinese weddings blend traditional and Western elements, and 新郎 is used in both contexts. The groom typically wears a Western suit in most modern urban weddings.

Examples

1. 新郎穿着一套黑色西装，显得非常帅气。 The groom wore a black suit and looked very handsome.
2. 婚礼上，新郎和新娘一起切蛋糕，现场十分热闹。 At the wedding, the groom and bride cut the cake together, and the atmosphere was very lively.
3. 新郎在婚礼上发表了一段感人的演讲，让很多宾客感动落泪。 The groom delivered a moving speech at the wedding that brought many guests to tears.

Usage Guide

Context: weddings, family

Tone: celebratory

Do Say

• 新郎今天真的很帅，他们真的是天生一对。(The groom looks really handsome today — they truly are a perfect match.)
• 请新郎上台，和大家分享你的心情。(Please invite the groom to come up and share his feelings with everyone.)

Don't Say

• 把新郎用于婚礼之外的场合称呼男性。(Don't use 新郎 to refer to a man outside of a wedding context — it specifically means a groom at a wedding ceremony; use 男朋友 or 丈夫 for boyfriend or husband in everyday contexts.)

Origin & History

Compound of 新 (new) and 郎 (young man/husband), literally 'new husband' — a man who has just been married.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal