退婚 literally means 'to withdraw a marriage' and refers specifically to canceling an engagement or betrothal before the wedding takes place. The character 退 (tuì) means 'to withdraw, retreat, or cancel', while 婚 (hūn) means 'marriage' or 'engagement'. Together, they form a verb describing the formal termination of a pre-marital agreement, often involving families, social expectations, and sometimes financial or reputational consequences.

This term carries significant cultural weight in traditional Chinese society, where engagements were frequently arranged and breaking one could cause embarrassment or conflict. Though less common today, 退婚 still appears in modern contexts—such as when couples mutually decide not to marry after long-term dating—or in literature, films, and news reports about family disputes or changing social values. It implies intentionality and finality, distinguishing it from simply ending a casual relationship.