matchmaker; go-between
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
matchmaker; go-between; marriage broker
literaryA literary term for a matchmaker who arranges marriages. The term originates from the Book of Jin (晋书·索紞传), where the character 冰 (ice) was interpreted as a metaphor for yin-yang union (冰者为媒，冰上为阳，冰下为阴).
Tā他
chōng充
dāng当
bīng冰
rén人
，
wǎng往
lái来
yú于
liǎng两
jiā家
zhī之
jiān间
shāng商
yì议
hūn婚
shì事
。
He acted as a go-between, traveling between the two families to discuss marriage arrangements.
Zài在
gǔ古
dài代
，
qǐng请
bīng冰
rén人
bǎo保
méi媒
shì是
chéng成
hūn婚
de的
bì必
yào要
bù步
zhòu骤
。
In ancient times, inviting a matchmaker to arrange a marriage was a necessary step for getting married.
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Zhè这
wèi位
bīng冰
rén人
shuō说
hé合
le了
shù数
shí十
duì对
liáng良
yuán缘
。
This matchmaker has arranged dozens of happy marriages.