1.
marriage proposal, marriage arrangement, match
A proposal or discussion regarding a potential marriage, especially one arranged through intermediaries or family connections. Refers to the proposal itself or the prospective match.
縁談が持ち込まれた。
A marriage proposal was brought to us.
親戚から良い縁談があると聞いた。
I heard from a relative that there's a good marriage prospect.
娘は何度も縁談を断って、自分で相手を見つけると言い張っている。
My daughter has turned down numerous marriage proposals and insists on finding a partner on her own.
CULTURAL NOTE:
Traditionally, marriages in Japan were often arranged through intermediaries (仲人), and 縁談 was the proposal or match brought by such go-betweens. While arranged marriages have become less common in modern Japan, the word is still used and understood, appearing in period dramas, novels, and when families still facilitate introductions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 縁談が持ち込まれる: a marriage proposal is brought
- 縁談を断る: to turn down a marriage proposal
- 縁談が{まとまる}: a marriage arrangement is settled
- 縁談を進める: to advance a marriage proposal
- 良い縁談: a good match