doorman; connections; classifier for marriages/relatives
Meanings
3 senses · 8 examplesnoun
doorkeeper; gatekeeper; porter (in a yamen or noble household)
archaicA historical or literary term referring to the person who guards the gate and announces visitors, especially in government offices or wealthy households.
In ancient times, the doorkeeper usually knew everything happening inside the mansion.
He bribed the gatekeeper with some money before he could enter to pay respects to the master.
noun
connections; backdoor; channel
informalRefers to personal connections or channels used to get things done, often implying seeking favors through unofficial means.
He didn't use any connections to find a job; he relied entirely on his own efforts.
If you want to get this done, you need to find some backdoor channels.
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He has very strong connections here; he can fix any problem.
classifier
classifier for marriages, relatives, or families (in a kinship context)
dialectA dialectal classifier primarily used in Northern China. It counts marriages or families related by marriage.
The elderly couple is very satisfied with this marriage arrangement.
Their family and our family are related by marriage.
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He got married again, so now he has two sets of in-laws.