门当户对

門當戶對

méndānghùduì

idiom HSK 7 #42,823

Meanings

1 well-matched in social status (of families)
2 an appropriate match for marriage

Characters

to match; appropriate

household; door

to match; paired

Examples

老一辈人觉得结婚要门当户对。

Lǎo yī bèi rén juéde jiéhūn yào méndānghùduì.

The older generation believes marriages should be between families of equal status.

现在的年轻人不太讲究门当户对了。

Xiànzài de niánqīngrén bù tài jiǎngjiu méndānghùduì le.

Young people nowadays don't care as much about matching family backgrounds.

Tips

history

门当 and 户对 were originally architectural features on traditional gates — stone drums (门当) and wooden blocks (户对) indicated a family's social rank. Matching these meant the families were of equal status.

culture

This concept remains influential in Chinese marriage culture. Parents often consider family background, education, and wealth when evaluating potential partners for their children.

Stroke Order

门 mén

当 dāng

户 hù

对 duì