一對 / 一对
yīduì
To say pair in Chinese, meaning two people in a relationship, use 一對 / 一对 (yīduì). If unsure, use 一對 / 一对. Wiktionary also lists 夫婦 / 夫妇 (fūfù) and 一雙 / 一双 (yīshuāng).
Meaning: two people in a relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 一對 / 一对 | yīduì |
| 夫婦 / 夫妇 | fūfù |
| 一雙 / 一双 | yīshuāng |
一對 / 一对 means a pair or a couple, two people or things that go together.
What does it mean word for word?
一 means one, and 對 is a measure word for pairs.
Which one should you use?
夫婦 / 夫妇 means a married couple, husband and wife. 一雙 / 一双 is used for pairs of things worn or used together, such as shoes or chopsticks.
How do you pronounce it?
It is romanized yīduì.
Did you know?
- While 一對 / 一对 describes a couple, Chinese has a specific term 脫單 / 脱单 which literally means 'to shake off the single', used when someone finally finds a partner to form a pair.
- The word 對 / 对 can also function as a verb meaning 'to correct' or 'to check'. This creates a linguistic link between the idea of a 'pair' and the act of aligning two things to see if they match.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of a 'pair' is often linked to the 'Double Happiness' symbol 囍, which consists of the character for 'joy' written twice. This symbol is ubiquitous at weddings to represent a couple's shared bliss.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pair” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
