Proverb / Kotowaza
月下氷人
A term for a matchmaker or a person who brings a man and a woman together in marriage.
The old man under the moon and the person on the ice
Quick Answer
A term for a matchmaker or a person who brings a man and a woman together in marriage.
- Literal Image
- The old man under the moon and the person on the ice
- How to Use It
- Used as a formal or literary noun to describe the person who acted as the go-between for a couple's marriage.
Meaning
This idiom refers to an intermediary or matchmaker who facilitates a marriage. It is a compound term derived from two separate Chinese legends involving figures who were said to predict or arrange marital connections.
Literal Image
The old man under the moon and the person on the ice
How to Use It
Used as a formal or literary noun to describe the person who acted as the go-between for a couple's marriage.
Tone
Formal and literary, most appropriate for wedding contexts or serious discussions about matchmaking.
Examples
二人を引き合わせた月下氷人のおかげで、素敵な夫婦が誕生した。
Thanks to the matchmaker who brought the two together, a wonderful couple was born.
月下氷人を務めるのは責任重大だが、やりがいのあることだ。
Serving as a matchmaker is a major responsibility, but it is a rewarding task.
彼らの出会いには、月下氷人の存在が欠かせなかった。
The presence of a matchmaker was essential for their meeting.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
This is a four-character compound (yojijukugo) that uses specific literary kanji and refers to a specialized historical concept.
月下
げっか / gekka
under the moon
氷人
ひょうじん / hyoujin
person on the ice (matchmaker)
仲人
なこうど / nakoudo
matchmaker / go-between
縁
えん / en
connection / fate
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is a literary term; in daily conversation, the simpler word 'nakodo' is more appropriate.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this literally as a person standing on ice or under the moon; it is a specific title for an intermediary.
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Origin
This expression combines two Chinese legends. 'Gekka' (Under the Moon) refers to a story about Wei Gu of the Tang Dynasty, who met an old man (the Old Man Under the Moon) by moonlight and learned of the red threads that bind destined couples. 'Hyoujin' (Ice Person) refers to Linghu Ce of the Jin Dynasty, who dreamed of standing on ice and talking to a person beneath it—a dream interpreted as a sign that he would facilitate a marriage. These two stories of matchmaking were eventually merged into a single term for an intermediary.
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