Informed by Axel Honneth’s recognition theory, the Self- and Social Recognition Scales were initially developed in Western contexts to measure the acknowledgment individuals receive from themselves and others within a specific society. However, there is no Chinese version of these scales. This study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the
Chinese version of the Self- and Social Recognition Scales and examine the links of self- and social recognition with the well-being and career development of Chinese young adults, considering the influence of economic constraints and marginalization. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hong Kong from October to November 2022, involving 1,016 university students aged 18–29. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor-11-item structure for the Self- and Social Recognition Scales. The findings distinguished self- and social recognition from self-judgment. The scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency. Overall, the Chinese version of these scales displayed adequate psychometric properties, supporting their future use in Chinese contexts. Moreover, the findings of this study demonstrated the mediating roles played by self- and social recognition in a structural equation model explaining how economic constraints and marginalization influence young adults’ well-being and career development. The findings of this study suggested the potential for utilizing self- and social recognition in career support services to mitigate the adverse effects of contextual constraints on the well-being and career development of young adults.