壻 (xù) - Son-in-law & husband of one's daughter

壻Tone 4

xù ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

壻 · xù

Son-in-law;

husband of one's daughter;

also used in ancient texts to refer to a man of talent or ability.

Son-in-lawhusband of one's daughteralso used in ancient texts to refer to

Usage highlights

SonTalented sonJade sonNew sonChoose a son

Synonyms

  • 女婿— son-in-law (more common modern term)
  • 姑爷— son-in-law (colloquial, respectful)
  • 东床— son-in-law (literary, from the story of Wang Xizhi)

Antonyms

  • 儿媳— daughter-in-law
  • 岳父— father-in-law (wife's father)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is my son-in-law (我的女婿).
  • The talented son-in-law (贤壻) was highly respected.
  • In ancient times, a good son-in-law was called a jade son-in-law (玉壻).
  • The family welcomed their new son-in-law (新壻).

Collocations

  • Son-in-law(女婿)
  • Talented son-in-law(贤壻)
  • Jade son-in-law(玉壻)
  • New son-in-law(新壻)
  • Son-in-law and father-in-law(壻翁)
  • Son-in-law's family(壻家)

Idioms

  • Talented son-in-law of the east bed(东床快婿)
  • Seven sons-in-law(七子八壻)
  • Call the son-in-law to become the dragon(呼壻作龙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, the son-in-law was often seen as an important addition to the family, sometimes expected to support the wife's family.
  • The character 壻 appears in classical texts like the Book of Rites, indicating its long historical usage.
  • In imperial examination contexts, a talented son-in-law could bring honor and prestige to the wife's family.

FAQ