Taiwan's Singlehood Epidemic: Why Taiwanese People Are Staying Single

There's a popular phrase in Taiwan, "tuodan".

在台灣有一個很流行的詞彙叫作「脫單」。

It literally means "to shed your singleness," to get hitched.

字面上就是「擺脫單身狀態」去結婚的意思。

But data shows many in Taiwan are holding onto singlehood for life.

但數據顯示，台灣許多人正打算一輩子維持單身。

A survey by Academia Sinica, Taiwan's top research institute,

台灣最高學術研究機構中央研究院的一項調查顯示，

shows that among unmarried adults aged 27 and over,

在27歲以上的未婚成年人中，

around 30% have never been in a relationship,

大約有 30% 的人從未談過戀愛，

with an additional 40% saying they were currently single,

另外還有 40% 表示目前處於單身狀態，

with no significant differences between men and women.

而且男女之間並沒有顯著的差異。

So, what's keeping people off the market?

那麼，究竟是什麼原因讓人們退出戀愛市場呢？

The first thing is not having enough money.

第一個是缺錢吧，

It costs money to fall in love.

因為談戀愛需要錢。

Everyone thinks you're more free if you're single,

就是大家覺得單身比較自由自在，

so they don't want to be tied down by a partner.

就不會想要被另一半束縛。

I think the older people get, the more they think that way.

我覺得年紀越大越會這樣想。

I want more success in my career

希望自己可以等自己的事業比較成功的時候，

before I go looking for a partner.

再去交另一半。

From busy work schedules to the rising cost of living, the reasons vary.

從忙碌的工作日程到不斷攀升的生活成本，原因各不相同。

The reality on the ground is hard to ignore.

現實生活中的狀況不容忽視。

Many just don't have the time or energy for dating.

許多人根本沒有時間或精力去約會。

The bigger question isn't why are people staying single,

更關鍵的問題並不是人們為什麼保持單身，

it's what does it mean for Taiwan's future?

而是這對台灣的未來意味著什麼？

With one of the lowest birth rates in the world,

身為全球出生率最低的地區之一，

less relationships means less families.

戀愛關係減少意味著家庭組成變少。

To try and fight the demographic crisis, the government has introduced incentives,

為了試圖應對人口危機，政府推出了各項鼓勵措施，

from cash subsidies for newborns to reserved social housing for newlyweds.

從新生兒現金補貼到為新婚夫婦保留的社會住宅配額。

But experts say the root cause is that people aren't pairing up in the first place.

但專家表示，根本原因在於大家打從一開始就沒有交往配對。

A lot of marriages appear unhappy to them.

很多的婚姻讓他們看起來不快樂。

People get married and have children at such a young age only to feel trapped

那麼年輕結了婚、生了孩子都被綁住，

or else it quickly ends in divorce.

要不然就是很快就離婚了，

So they develop a fear of getting married.

所以對婚姻就有恐懼。

For others, the issue isn't so much a fear of marriage,

對其他人來說，問題倒不完全是恐懼婚姻，

it's that marriage, or having kids, is no longer seen as essential to a fulfilling life.

而是結婚或生小孩不再被視為圓滿人生的必備條件。

Young people who genuinely have no interest in marriage just hold a different perspective on the future.

真正不想結婚的年輕人，是對未來有不同的看法。

They feel that simply taking good care of themselves is enough.

他會覺得，我把一個人自己照顧好就好了。

As modern priorities shift, being single is no longer just a phase.

隨著現代人生活重心的轉移，單身不再只是一段過渡期。

For many, it's becoming a permanent way of life.

對許多人來說，這正成為一種常態的生活方式。

Klein Wang and Reece Ayers for TaiwanPlus.

TaiwanPlus 記者 Klein Wang 與 Reece Ayers 採訪報導。