In 20 10, the lifelong unmarried rate of China population was 1.77%, less than 2%. Among them, the lifelong unmarried rates of men and women are 3.23% and 0.32% respectively, and the lifelong unmarried rate of men is 10 times that of women. During 1982-20 10, the unmarried rate of men and women showed an overall upward trend, but during 2000-20 10, the unmarried rate of men began to decline.

Traditional China belongs to an agricultural society. Under the influence of many realistic factors, such as carrying on the family line, raising children to protect the elderly, and the actual demand of agricultural labor force, the preference for sons over daughters is deeply rooted, and the sex ratio at birth is abnormally high for a long time, leading to the situation of male overpopulation and lifelong unmarried in the marriage market.