mối mai
Definition
- Noun:
- Matchmaker: A person, traditionally a woman, who acts as an intermediary to arrange a marriage or introduce potential spouses to each other. The role involves assessing compatibility, facilitating communication, and negotiating between families.
- Marriage broker: A person whose function is to formally propose a marriage alliance and oversee the initial stages of the matrimonial process.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Nhờ có mối mai mà họ đã gặp nhau và kết hôn. (Thanks to the matchmaker, they met and got married.)
- Bà ấy làm nghề mối mai đã hơn ba mươi năm. (She has worked as a marriage broker for over thirty years.)
- Trong truyện cổ tích, vai trò của ông Tơ bà Nguyệt giống như một mối mai. (In fairy tales, the role of the Old Man of the Moon and the Lady of the Moon is like that of a matchmaker.)
Advanced Usage
- The term carries a traditional and formal connotation, often associated with customs, rituals, and the involvement of families rather than a casual introduction.
- In modern usage, it can sometimes be used humorously or metaphorically for someone who sets up a romantic date, though the core meaning remains tied to marriage.
Variants and Related Words
- Làm mối (v): to act as a matchmaker.
- Bác hàng xóm vui tính hay làm mối cho các bạn trẻ. (The cheerful neighbor often acts as a matchmaker for young people.)
Synonyms
- Matchmaker: A person who arranges marriages or romantic introductions.
- Marriage broker: A formal intermediary in matrimonial arrangements.
- Go-between: An intermediary or mediator in any negotiation, including marriage.
Related Idioms and Cultural References
- Ông Tơ bà Nguyệt: A mythical couple often referred to as the celestial matchmakers who tie the "red thread of fate" between destined partners. They are the ultimate symbolic .
- Họ tin rằng ông Tơ bà Nguyệt đã se duyên cho họ. (They believe that the celestial matchmakers destined them for each other.)
- Mối lái: While generally means a broker or agent in business, it can be contextually related to in the sense of a professional intermediary.