During a romantic relationship, everyday consumption-related expenses incurred by either party to maintain the relationship—such as dining out, entertainment, travel, or gifts—are generally not considered ‘betrothal gifts’ (commonly referred to as ‘bride price’ or ‘caoli’). Under Chinese judicial practice and relevant laws, caoli specifically refers to substantial property or money given by one party to the other with the clear intention of entering into marriage, typically in accordance with local customs. In contrast, ordinary expenses during dating are usually voluntary gestures of affection or shared living costs, lacking an explicit condition tied to marriage. Therefore, such expenditures are typically treated as general gifts or shared costs and do not qualify as legally recognized caoli. Even if the relationship ends without marriage, courts usually do not support claims for reimbursement of these routine expenses. However, if a significant payment is explicitly made conditional upon marriage—for example, a large transfer labeled ‘caoli’ or a contribution toward purchasing a home—it may be recognized as caoli by the court and potentially subject to return under statutory conditions. The key distinction lies in the intent behind the payment, its amount, local customs, and whether it was expressly contingent on marriage.
在恋爱关系中，双方为维系感情而产生的日常消费性支出（如餐饮、娱乐、旅游、礼物等）通常不被认定为彩礼。根据中国司法实践和相关法律规定，彩礼是指以缔结婚姻为目的，一方按照当地习俗向另一方给付的较大数额财物，具有明显的婚约性质和赠与目的。而恋爱期间的普通消费支出多出于自愿、表达情感或共同生活所需，并不具备以结婚为前提的明确意图，因此一般视为一般赠与或共同消费，不构成法律意义上的彩礼。即使双方最终未能结婚，此类支出通常也不支持返还。但若某笔大额支出明确以结婚为条件（如购房出资、大额转账并备注‘彩礼’等），则可能被法院认定为彩礼，在符合法定情形下可请求返还。因此，区分恋爱消费与彩礼的关键在于给付目的、金额大小、当地习俗及是否附有结婚条件等因素。
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