姻缘 (yīn yuán) — predestined marriage or romantic relationship; fate that brings a couple together

Definition

A culturally rich word for the fate or destiny that brings a couple together as husband and wife. Closer to 缘分 than to a plain ‘relationship’: it specifically frames marriage as something predestined.

noun
predestined marriage or romantic relationshipfate that brings a couple together
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，姻缘。
    Tā men néng jié hūn, zhēn shì yǒu yīn yuán.
    They can get married — it's truly fate.
  • 姻缘。
    Tā men xiāng xìn yīn yuán shì zhù dìng de.
    They believe marriage is destined.
  • 姻缘。
    Zhè duàn yīn yuán ràng tā men zǒu dào le yì qǐ.
    This predestined relationship brought them together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

姻yīnmarriage
缘yuánfate

姻 concerns marriage and 缘 means fate, together naming a destined marriage.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
因
因yīn姻yīn
Same sound today

姻 combines 女, meaning woman, with 因, which gives the sound; the reference links the whole shape to a marriage involving a woman.

Open 姻 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彖
彖tuàn緣⁰yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

Open 缘 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.