マッチングアプリ
Meaning: A dating app used to find romantic partners, such as Pairs, Tapple, or with.
マッチングアプリ is the standard Japanese term for dating apps. Unlike the older term 出会い系, マッチングアプリ carries a respectable, mainstream connotation. It became widely normalized in the early 2020s and is now one of the most common ways young Japanese adults meet romantic partners.
Examples
- マッチングアプリで知り合った人と来週デートするんだ。 我要跟在交友软件上认识的人下周约会。La semana que viene tengo una cita con alguien que conocí en una app de citas.매칭 앱에서 알게 된 사람이랑 다음 주에 데이트해.
- うちの姉、マッチングアプリで出会った人と結婚したよ。 我姐姐跟在交友软件上认识的人结婚了。Mi hermana se casó con alguien que conoció en una app de citas.우리 언니, 매칭 앱에서 만난 사람이랑 결혼했어.
- マッチングアプリって写真が命だから、プロに撮ってもらった。 交友软件上照片就是一切,所以我请了专业摄影师来拍。En las apps de citas la foto lo es todo, así que me la hice con un fotógrafo profesional.매칭 앱은 사진이 생명이라서 프로한테 찍어달라고 했어.
Pronunciation
/mat.tɕin.ɡu a.pu.ɾi/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, casual conversation, social media
Tone: neutral, conversational
✓ Do Say
- マッチングアプリ始めてみたんだけど、なかなかいい人いるよ。 (I started using a dating app and there are actually some good people on it.)我开始用交友软件了,上面还真有不少不错的人。He empezado a usar una app de citas y la verdad es que hay gente bastante interesante.매칭 앱 시작해 봤는데, 꽤 괜찮은 사람들이 있더라. (데이팅 앱을 써 봤는데 생각보다 괜찮은 사람들이 있어.)
- 最近はマッチングアプリで出会うのが普通だよね。 (Meeting through dating apps is pretty normal these days.)现在通过交友软件认识的很正常吧。Hoy en día es muy normal conocer a alguien a través de apps de citas.요즘은 매칭 앱으로 만나는 게 보통이잖아. (요즘에는 데이팅 앱으로 만나는 게 자연스러운 거잖아.)
✗ Don't Say
- 初対面の年配者に「マッチングアプリ使ってます」は引かれることも (Telling older strangers you use dating apps may still raise eyebrows with some generations)跟初次见面的长辈说'我在用交友软件',可能会让对方觉得不太靠谱Decirle a una persona mayor que acabas de conocer que usas apps de citas puede resultar chocante para algunas generaciones.처음 만난 윗세대에게 '매칭 앱 쓰고 있어요'라고 말하면 거부감을 느낄 수 있다 (나이 든 세대 중에는 데이팅 앱 사용에 대해 눈살을 찌푸리는 사람도 있다)
Common Mistakes
- Confusing マッチングアプリ with 出会い系 — マッチングアプリ is mainstream and respectable, while 出会い系 has a shadier connotation
Origin & History
From English 'matching application,' shortened to マッチングアプリ. Gained mainstream usage in the mid-2010s as dating apps like Pairs launched in Japan and dating app culture became socially acceptable.
Cultural Context
Era: Mid-2010s onwards, mainstream by early 2020s
Generation: 20s-30s primarily, expanding to all ages
Social background: Mainstream, socially accepted
Regional notes: Used nationwide. Pairs, Tapple, with, and Omiai are the most popular services in Japan.
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