婚介 (hūn jiè) — marriage introduction; matchmaking service (abbreviation for 婚姻介绍)

Definition

Shortened form of 婚姻介绍, meaning matchmaking or a matchmaking service — a formal/societal term for helping people find a spouse, not casual introductions.

noun
marriage introductionmatchmaking service (abbreviation for 婚姻介绍)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā shì zài yì jiā hūn jiè suǒ rèn shi tā de.
    He met her at a matchmaking agency.
  • 婚介。
    Xiàn zài hěn duō nián qīng rén bù xǐ huan yòng hūn jiè fú wù.
    Many young people nowadays don't like using matchmaking services.
  • 婚介。
    Tā tōng guò hūn jiè zhǎo dào le duì xiàng.
    He found a partner through matchmaking.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
昏
昏hūn婚hūn
Same sound today

婚 uses 女 (woman) for the meaning and 昏 for the sound hūn.

Open 婚 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

介 shows a central human form with two marks around it, indicating being between.

Open 介 →

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