娶

• Pinyin: qǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 娶 = 取 + 女 (take + woman — the composition directly represents taking a woman as wife)

Meaning

To marry a woman; to take as a wife. Used from the man's perspective of bringing a woman into the family as his spouse.

Specifically used for a man marrying, in contrast to 嫁 (a woman marrying into a family). Classical: 娶妻纳妾. Modern colloquial: 娶老婆. The character itself encodes the meaning: 取 + 女.

Examples

1. 他年届三十，家中父母催促他尽快娶妻成家。 He’s already 30, and his parents at home are urging him to get married and start a family as soon as possible.
2. 这段历史记载了皇帝娶四方贵族之女以巩固政治联盟的史实。 This historical record describes how the emperor married daughters of nobles from all directions to strengthen political alliances.
3. 在传统观念中，男方娶妻须备齐彩礼并举行隆重仪式。 In traditional views, for a man to marry a wife he must prepare the bride price and hold a grand ceremony.

Usage Guide

Context: marriage, family, culture, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 旧时婚姻由父母包办，男方娶妻须经媒人从中撮合，当事人往往在成婚之前未曾谋面。(In old times, marriages were arranged by parents; a man's taking of a wife required the matchmaking of a go-between, and the couple often had not met before the wedding.)
• 他决定娶她为妻，不是因为家世门当户对，而是出于真心相爱与对未来共同生活的憧憬。(He decided to marry her not because their family backgrounds were well-matched, but out of genuine love and a shared vision for a life together.)

Don't Say

• 她娶了一位优秀的丈夫 — 娶 is used exclusively from the man's perspective; for a woman marrying, use 嫁给 (她嫁给了一位优秀的丈夫)

Origin & History

娶 = 取 + 女 — to take a woman (as a wife); the character's composition encodes the act of bringing a woman home

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal