门当户对 Mén Dāng Hù Duì well-matched

Explanation

旧时指婚姻双方家庭的社会地位、经济条件等方面相当。

In the past, it meant that the social status and economic conditions of both families were comparable in a marriage.

Origin Story

话说江南小镇上，住着两户人家，一户是世代经商的富商李家，另一户是世代为官的书香门第王家。李家小姐秀外慧中，王家公子温文尔雅，两人青梅竹马，两情相悦。然而，两家虽门当户对，但因一些琐碎的礼仪之争，婚事一度搁浅。此事传到老秀才的耳中，他暗自思忖，这门亲事，不仅是两家的好事，更是小镇的佳话。于是，老秀才亲自出马，上门调解，晓之以理，动之以情，最终促成了这桩美事。婚礼之日，锣鼓喧天，鞭炮齐鸣，小镇上的人们都来祝贺，喜气洋洋。从此，李家与王家世代友好，成为小镇上的一段佳话。

huà shuō jiāng nán xiǎo zhèn shàng, zhù zhe liǎng hù rén jiā, yī hù shì shì dài jīng shāng de fù shāng lǐ jiā, lìng yī hù shì shì dài wéi guān de shū xiāng mén dì wáng jiā。lǐ jiā xiǎo jiě xiù wài huì zhōng, wáng jiā gōng zǐ wēn wén ěr yǎ, liǎng rén qīng méi zhū mǎ, liǎng qíng xiāng yuè。rán ér, liǎng jiā suī mén dāng hù duì, dàn yīn yī xiē suǒ suì de lǐ yí zhī zhēng, hūn shì yī dù gé qiǎn。cǐ shì chuán dào lǎo xiù cái de ěr zhōng, tā àn zì sī cǔn, zhè mén qīn shì, bù jǐn shì liǎng jiā de hǎo shì, ér shì xiǎo zhèn de jiā huà。yú shì, lǎo xiù cái qīn zì chū mǎ, shàng mén tiáo jiě, xiǎo zhī yǐ lǐ, dòng zhī yǐ qíng, zhōng yú cù chéng le zhè zhuāng měi shì。hūn lǐ zhī rì, luó gǔ xuān tiān, biān pào qí míng, xiǎo zhèn shàng de rén men dōu lái zhù hè, xǐ qì yáng yáng。cóng cǐ, lǐ jiā yǔ wáng jiā shì dài yǒu hǎo, chéng wéi xiǎo zhèn shàng de yī duàn jiā huà。

In a small town in southern China, there lived two families. One was the Li family, wealthy merchants for generations, the other was the Wang family, a scholarly family of officials. The Li family's daughter was beautiful and intelligent, and the Wang family's son was gentle and refined; they loved each other. Although both families were well-matched, disputes over minor rituals threatened to derail the wedding. An old scholar finally intervened and, with reason and feeling, managed to arrange the wedding. The wedding was celebrated with great fanfare, and the families remained friendly, a beautiful story for the town.

Usage

形容男女双方家庭的社会地位、经济条件等方面相当，适合结亲。

xiáoróng nán nǚ shuāng fāng jiā tíng de shè huì dì wèi、jīng jì tiáo jiàn děng fāng miàn xiāng dāng, shì hé jié qīn。

Describes the equivalence of the social status and economic conditions of both families in a marriage.

Examples

• 两家门当户对，结为亲家是再好不过的了。

  liǎng jiā mén dāng hù duì, jié wéi qīn jiā shì zài hǎo bù guò le de le。

  The two families are well-matched, so it's best that they become relatives.

• 他俩门不当户不对，这段感情注定不会长久。

  tā liǎ mén bù dāng hù bù duì, zhè duàn gǎnqíng zhùdìng bù huì cháng jiǔ。

  They are not a good match, this relationship is doomed to fail.

Related Idioms

• 郎才女貌

• 珠联璧合

Opposite Idioms

• 悬殊