1.
to marry into (a family), to be married off
For a woman to marry and join her husband's family. Reflects the traditional Japanese marriage custom where the bride enters the groom's household. Though the concept is becoming less common in modern society, the word remains widely used.
娘が遠くへ嫁いだ。
My daughter married into a family far away.
姉は農家に嫁いだ。
My older sister married into a farming family.
彼女は名家に嫁いだが、嫁姑の関係に苦労したそうだ。
She married into a distinguished family, but apparently had difficulties with the mother-in-law relationship.
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- 〜に嫁ぐ: to marry into (a family/household)
- 〜へ嫁ぐ: to marry away to (a place)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 農家に嫁ぐ: to marry into a farming family
- 遠くへ嫁ぐ: to marry far away
- 嫁いだ先: the family one married into
- 嫁いでいく: to go away in marriage
CULTURAL NOTE:
Traditionally, Japanese marriage involved the bride (嫁) entering the groom's family (婿入り is the reverse). 嫁ぐ reflects this patrilocal custom. While modern marriages are more egalitarian, the word is still commonly used, especially in rural areas and when describing traditional family structures. The subject is always the woman.
SIMILAR WORDS:
結婚する is the neutral word for "to marry" used by either gender. 嫁ぐ specifically implies the woman joining the husband's family.
Related Words
Related:
結婚 (neutral term)