This　study　assessed　the　applicability　of　the　Mate　Preference　Scale　(MPS)　across　different　populations　and　compared　the　characteristics　of　mate　preferences　among　individuals　from　various　cultural　backgrounds　and　genders.　A　total　of　924　Chinese　participants　(30.33　±　5.67　years;　52.3　%　men)　and　12,074　Hungarian　participants　(30.69　±　8.86　years;　50.9　%　men)　were　recruited　online　to　evaluate　the　suitability　of　the　MPS　for　the　Chinese　population　using　confirmatory　factor　analysis　and　measurement　invariance　tests.　Subsequent　network　analysis　revealed　how　mate　preferences　between　China　and　Hungary　differ.　The　findings　indicated　that　the　MPS　was　almost　consistent　and　applicable　across　cultures.　Dominance　emerged　as　the　most　influential　factor　in　the　mate　preferences　plot　for　both　the　Chinese　and　Hungarian　samples.　Both　countries　showed　three　similar　mate　preference　communities　represented　as　“good　parents,”　“good　genes,”　and　“good　resources,”　but　with　the　notable　difference　that　dominance　was　categorized　under　“good　parents”　in　the　Chinese　context　and　“good　resources”　in　the　Hungarian　context.　Moreover,　descriptive　and　network　analysis　both　indicated　that　gender　differences　were　more　pronounced　in　Hungary　than　in　China.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd