<p>Other than that there is one more term means "being taken" in a romantic sense which is "死會". Although it doesn't looks like anything to do with "relationship", it's means the person has a boyfriend/girlfriend. </p>

<p>For example: 
Using it in first person
我已經死會了 = I'm taken</p>

<p>Using it in second person
你/妳經死會了 = You are taken.</p>

<p>Using it in third person
他/她已經死會了 = He/She is taken</p>

<p>PS:
I think this term is only commonly used in Taiwan. I never hear my Chinese friends from mainland China say it. I think it is because the term is derived from "Taiwanese". So think twice before you use it in mainland China.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-17T01:59:02.460Z
死會 is shortened form of 供死會. Meaning you have already taken back your capital, earned your share of interest, and are bound to fulfill your share of monthly contribution. It has nothing to do with "relationship"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-19T02:22:14.623Z
Oh yes it is the term we use in Taiwan which meaning someone is in relationship. And you right also. The originally meaning of "死會" is the one you as you said. But it can also be used to describe a person is in relationship. I am Taiwanese and this is the way we use in Taiwan. No one (or very few people) use it's original meaning now.
That's why I said: I think this term is only commonly used in Taiwan.
SteveWu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-26T04:15:25.880Z
@TangHo You're not wrong except the last sentence in your comment. In the modern days, more people use banks to loan money although there are still people use 會. The phrase "死會" has been used to mean the person has been taken more popularly than its original meaning.
Nobody
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-16T15:04:52.333Z
2018-05-16T15:04:52.333Z
SteveWu
<p>One thing to note: the passive voice is a rare construction that often carries a negative connotation in traditional Chinese. In general it flows more “Chinese-ly” to use the active voice. Part of the westernization of the language is that the passive voice has become more and more common among the younger generation. Whether or not that’s good or bad is beyond the scope of this forum, but it’s just something to keep in mind as you learn Chinese. It’s important to know that its written form has changed dramatically within the last half a century. Among these changes, I’d even venture to say that simplification of the scripts is the most minor in terms of its impact to literature. </p>

<p>And so instead of saying the passive “I’m taken”, Chinese prefers saying “I have a partner” or “I am [state of actively dating someone]”. 我有對象了，我有男女朋友了，我已心有所屬 are all examples of the active voice. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-16T17:39:32.900Z
2018-05-16T17:39:32.900Z
user19706
<p>You can use <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/61024/" rel="noreferrer">名花有主</a>  to describe a third person 'being taken' in a romantic sense. For example: &quot;他已经是名花有主&quot; (he is already taken)</p>
<p>Since it sounds arrogant to call oneself  &quot;名花&quot; (quite a catch), &quot;名花有主&quot; is only appropriate when describing a third person.</p>
<p>Also &quot;名花&quot; is usually a description of a lady. Using it to describe a man is less common, therefore someone would say &quot;名草有主&quot; instead</p>
<p>Or you can use &quot;心有所屬&quot; to declare you are &quot;taken&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;我已经心有所屬&quot; = (my heart had already settled on someone)</p>
<p>But 心有所屬 is quite a literary phrase, rarely used colloquially.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我已经有女朋友</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It sounds most natural in native Chinese speech</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-17T14:23:30.850Z
Should we pronounce  屬 as zhu like 屬意，前後相屬 or shu like 屬於？
Ludi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-17T17:14:39.790Z
@Ludi https://pedia.cloud.edu.tw/Entry/Detail/?title=%E6%89%80%E5%B1%AC  漢語拼音： suǒ shǔ ; 解釋：

    屬下。如：「他命令所屬單位徹查此事。」屬於、歸依。如：「心有所屬」。
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-14T21:53:56.097Z
2018-05-15T01:24:16.970Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>In English you can say "I'm taken" to express that you already have a significant other (girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife/etc.) and are not open to romantic advances from other people.</p>

<p>Is there an equivalent expression in Chinese, other than explicitly saying something like 我已经结婚了 or 我已经有女朋友?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-16T07:30:54.537Z
If a Chinese is too shy to say that explicitly, he/she might hide the information inside their casual talking and behavior, in which you can infer their marital staus... If he/she is brave enough, he/she should be able to say that directly.
Harry Summer
<translation><expressions>
Is there an expression in Chinese for saying "I'm taken"?
# Is there an expression in Chinese for saying "I'm taken"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-14)

In English you can say "I'm taken" to express that you already have a significant other (girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife/etc.) and are not open to romantic advances from other people.

Is there an equivalent expression in Chinese, other than explicitly saying something like 我已经结婚了 or 我已经有女朋友?

**Tags:** translation, expressions

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If a Chinese is too shy to say that explicitly, he/she might hide the information inside their casual talking and behavior, in which you can infer their marital staus... If he/she is brave enough, he/she should be able to say that directly.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-05-14. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

You can use [名花有主](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/61024/) to describe a third person 'being taken' in a romantic sense. For example: "他已经是名花有主" (he is already taken)

Since it sounds arrogant to call oneself "名花" (quite a catch), "名花有主" is only appropriate when describing a third person.

Also "名花" is usually a description of a lady. Using it to describe a man is less common, therefore someone would say "名草有主" instead

Or you can use "心有所屬" to declare you are "taken"

"我已经心有所屬" = (my heart had already settled on someone)

But 心有所屬 is quite a literary phrase, rarely used colloquially.

> 我已经有女朋友

It sounds most natural in native Chinese speech

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Should we pronounce  屬 as zhu like 屬意，前後相屬 or shu like 屬於？  
> **username_3**: @username_6 https://pedia.cloud.edu.tw/Entry/Detail/?title=%E6%89%80%E5%B1%AC  漢語拼音： suǒ shǔ ; 解釋：      屬下。如：「他命令所屬單位徹查此事。」屬於、歸依。如：「心有所屬」。  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-16. Score: 1

Other than that there is one more term means "being taken" in a romantic sense which is "死會". Although it doesn't looks like anything to do with "relationship", it's means the person has a boyfriend/girlfriend.

For example:
Using it in first person
我已經死會了 = I'm taken

Using it in second person
你/妳經死會了 = You are taken.

Using it in third person
他/她已經死會了 = He/She is taken

PS:
I think this term is only commonly used in Taiwan. I never hear my Chinese friends from mainland China say it. I think it is because the term is derived from "Taiwanese". So think twice before you use it in mainland China.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 死會 is shortened form of 供死會. Meaning you have already taken back your capital, earned your share of interest, and are bound to fulfill your share of monthly contribution. It has nothing to do with "relationship"  
> **username_2**: Oh yes it is the term we use in Taiwan which meaning someone is in relationship. And you right also. The originally meaning of "死會" is the one you as you said. But it can also be used to describe a person is in relationship. I am Taiwanese and this is the way we use in Taiwan. No one (or very few people) use it's original meaning now. That's why I said: I think this term is only commonly used in Taiwan.  
> **username_4**: @TangHo You're not wrong except the last sentence in your comment. In the modern days, more people use banks to loan money although there are still people use 會. The phrase "死會" has been used to mean the person has been taken more popularly than its original meaning.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-05-16. Score: 1

One thing to note: the passive voice is a rare construction that often carries a negative connotation in traditional Chinese. In general it flows more “Chinese-ly” to use the active voice. Part of the westernization of the language is that the passive voice has become more and more common among the younger generation. Whether or not that’s good or bad is beyond the scope of this forum, but it’s just something to keep in mind as you learn Chinese. It’s important to know that its written form has changed dramatically within the last half a century. Among these changes, I’d even venture to say that simplification of the scripts is the most minor in terms of its impact to literature.

And so instead of saying the passive “I’m taken”, Chinese prefers saying “I have a partner” or “I am [state of actively dating someone]”. 我有對象了，我有男女朋友了，我已心有所屬 are all examples of the active voice.


---

