The dowry was given to the man's family with the intention that the new wife would be well treated. Such customs do not apply in modern Chinese society.
像一般人嫁女兒，喜用櫃子作嫁妝，取「早生貴子」的好彩頭；台南人卻是覺得「嫁櫃」念起來，有「帶著身孕」的意思，所以陪嫁櫃子反而會遭鄰里譏笑。