Challenging Traditional Marriage Norms: A Gendered Analysis of Delayed First Marriage in China

Abstract

Based on data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study investigates the determinants of delayed first marriage from a gendered perspective. Incorporating individual-, family-, and regional-level variables, we employ OLS and interaction models to assess how educational attainment, parental background, and regional context affect men and women differently in their timing of first marriage. Results show that higher education is significantly associated with delayed marriage, particularly for women. The effect of paternal education is also more pronounced among daughters than sons. In addition, urban residency and living in economically developed regions are linked to later marriage, especially among women. These findings demonstrate how gender intersects with structural and familial factors to shape marriage timing, highlighting the role of education and regional opportunity in transforming traditional gendered life-course expectations. The study contributes to demographic and gender research by documenting how modernization and shifting gender norms reshape family formation patterns in contemporary China.