A recent survey shows 76 percent of young people of marriageable age are afraid to get hitched while 82 percent of singles lack the courage to start a relationship.

Conducted by the Office of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sun Yat-sen University and Chinese search engine baidu.com, the study collected data via more than 30,000 questionnaires.

Respondents included the post-80s and post-90s generations, with half hailing from four first-tier cities: Bejing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Sixty-five percent said they would prefer marriage after turning 30 years old, while 91 percent regard marriage as both a pressure and headache. The main reasons identified are pressures from work, daily life, society, and parental expectations.

The survey also found that 63 percent believe sorting through material conditions is a precondition for marriage, rather than a stable relationship.

Among those who worry about getting married, the high expense and potential life changes after marriage are thought to be the top concerns.

In the survey, 65 percent of respondents said they are single and 26 percent are married.