父母之命，媒妁之言

Traditional form:

父母之命，媒妁之言

Pinyin (reading):

fùmǔzhīmìng,méishuòzhīyán

Definitions:

• (idiom) parents' orders and matchmaker's services (in establishing an arranged marriage)

Characters:

• 父 - father, dad
• 母 - mother; female elders; female
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 命 - life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction
• 媒 - go-between, matchmaker; medium
• 妁 - matchmaker, go-between
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say

Traditional characters:

• 父 - father, dad
• 母 - mother; female elders; female
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 命 - life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction
• 媒 - go-between, matchmaker; medium
• 妁 - matchmaker, go-between
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say