お見合い
Significado: A formal arranged meeting between potential marriage partners, traditionally set up by a go-between, now also the name of a popular dating app.
Once the primary way marriages were arranged in Japan, お見合い has evolved from a formal ritual involving families and matchmakers into a broader concept. Modern お見合い can range from traditional family-arranged meetings to casual matchmaking parties (お見合いパーティー) and even dating apps that bear its name. The term bridges old and new Japan, carrying both traditional gravitas and modern romantic pragmatism.
Ejemplos
- 親がお見合い相手見つけてきたけど、正直会いたくない。 父母给找了相亲对象，但说实话不太想去见。Mis padres me han encontrado un candidato para un omiai, pero sinceramente no me apetece ir.부모님이 맞선 상대를 찾아왔는데, 솔직히 만나기 싫어.
- 最近のお見合いってマッチングアプリみたいなもんでしょ。 现在的相亲不就跟交友APP差不多嘛。Los omiai de hoy en día son básicamente como las aplicaciones de citas, ¿no?요즘 맞선은 매칭 앱이랑 비슷한 거 아니야?
- お見合いパーティーで意外といい人に会えた。 在相亲派对上意外地遇到了不错的人。Fui a una fiesta de omiai y, para mi sorpresa, conocí a alguien interesante.맞선 파티에서 의외로 괜찮은 사람을 만났어.
Pronunciación
/o.mi.a.i/
Guía de uso
Contexto: dating, family conversations, social media
Tono: traditional, pragmatic
✓ Correcto
- 親にお見合い勧められたけど悩んでる (My parents suggested omiai but I'm on the fence)父母劝我去相亲，正在纠结（My parents suggested omiai but I'm on the fence）Mis padres me han propuesto un omiai, pero no lo tengo claro (My parents suggested omiai but I'm on the fence)부모님이 맞선을 권하는데 고민 중이야 (부모님이 오미아이를 추천하는데 망설이고 있어)
- お見合いも悪くないって最近思うようになった (I've started thinking omiai isn't so bad lately)最近开始觉得相亲其实也不错（I've started thinking omiai isn't so bad lately）Últimamente he empezado a pensar que el omiai no está tan mal (I've started thinking omiai isn't so bad lately)맞선도 나쁘지 않다고 최근 생각하게 됐어 (요즘 오미아이도 괜찮다고 느끼기 시작했어)
✗ Incorrecto
- 恋愛結婚した人に「お見合いのほうがいいのに」は余計なお世話 (Telling someone who married for love 'omiai would have been better' is nosy and unwelcome)对自由恋爱结婚的人说'还是相亲好'是多管闲事（Telling someone who married for love 'omiai would have been better' is nosy and unwelcome）Decirle a alguien que se casó por amor «mejor habrías hecho un omiai» es meterse donde no te llaman (Telling someone who married for love 'omiai would have been better' is nosy and unwelcome)연애 결혼한 사람에게 '맞선이 더 나았을 텐데'라고 하면 참견이다 (연애로 결혼한 사람에게 '오미아이가 더 나았을 텐데'라고 하면 쓸데없는 간섭이다)
Errores comunes
- Assuming お見合い is outdated — it remains a viable and respected path to marriage in Japan
- Confusing お見合い with blind dates — traditional omiai involves family background checks and formal introductions
Origen e historia
An ancient Japanese marriage custom where families arranged formal meetings between potential partners, typically through a 仲人 (nakōdo, matchmaker). The practice declined in the post-war era but has been reborn in modern forms like matchmaking apps and parties.
Contexto cultural
Era: Historical practice, modernised with apps and parties in 2010s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal, especially popular in marriage-minded demographics
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The dating app 'Omiai' launched in 2012 brought the term to younger audiences.
Más de este tema
More from Traditional with Modern Twists
Tarjetas, cuestionarios, audio y repetición espaciada — todo gratis