仲人なこうど

also: ちゅうにん

な

こ

う

ど

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

matchmaker

Specifically a person who arranges marriages, traditionally a formal role in Japanese omiai. The reading is almost always なこうど.

彼かの女じょの両りょう親しんは仲人なこうどに紹しょう介かいを頼たのんだ。
Her parents asked a matchmaker to introduce someone.
結けっ婚こん式しきで仲人なこうどがスピーチをし

た

。

The matchmaker gave a speech at the wedding.

2

noun

go-between; intermediary; middleman

A person who acts as an intermediary in negotiations, business, or disputes, not limited to marriage. The reading ちゅうにん is sometimes used for this broader sense, but なこうど is also possible.

商しょう談だんでは仲人なこうどが間あいだに入はいって話はなしをまとめた。
In the business negotiation, a go-between stepped in and brought the deal together.
彼かれは労ろう使し間かんの仲人なこうどとして信しん頼らいされている。
He is trusted as a mediator between labor and management.

Written forms

仲人Usage99%
- なこうど
  Standard kanji spelling for the matchmaker/go-between sense, usually read なこうど.
- ちゅうにん
  Alternate reading for the go-between sense, less common than なこうど.
媒人なこうどUsage1%
Alternate kanji spelling, less common than 仲人.
媒なこうど
Single-character abbreviation, mainly seen in compounds or formal contexts.
ちゅうにん

Kanji

仲go-between, relationship
人person
媒mediator, go-between

Similar words

仲ちゅう介かい
仲介 is the act of mediating or the agency that does it, while 仲人 refers to the person who performs the mediation, especially in marriage.
媒ばい酌しゃく
媒酌 is a formal term for matchmaking or the matchmaker's role, often used in ceremonial contexts, whereas 仲人 is the more common word for the person.

Etymology

仲人 is composed of 仲 (relationship, go-between) and 人 (person). The reading なこうど is a native Japanese word, while ちゅうにん is the on'yomi reading. The exact historical derivation of なこうど is uncertain.