kaishao

English

Alternative forms

• kai shao
• kai-shao
• kaysiao
• kaisiao
• kaixiao

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 介紹／介绍 (kài-siāu, “to introduce; to recommend”).

Noun

kaishao (plural kaishaos)

1. (Philippines, Chinese Filipino) matchmaking; a romantic arrangement to set up a date between two people
   • 2023, Mae Coyiuto, Chloe and the Kaishao Boys‎^[1], page 80:

     "Should I be the one to bring up what happened in church? Should I even mention it? If I act like it wasn't a big deal, maybe Pa will tell Auntie Queenie that kaishaos don't work on me. But what if my silence signals to them that I was totally fine with it?

   • 2022, Casey Huang, Move on Quick: How to Get Your Life Back and Never Break Your Heart Again‎^[2], page 111:

     Her mother has already met two ladies specializing in the "介紹 kaishao business." They brought her custom bounded books with peoples' information on them.

   • 2012, Erin Chupeco, “Ho-We”, in Charles Tan, editor, Lauriat: A Filipino-Chinese Speculative Fiction Anthology‎^[3], Maple Shade, New Jersey: Lethe Press, Inc., page 21:

     Our guest was a boy named Gary Cheng, and he met Achi through a kai-shao arranged by father and Gary's father. "Kai-shao" wasn't listed in the dictionary, but mother explained that it was like a blind date. I thought that meant Gary was blind, but mother said it meant that the people going on the date had never met each other before, because it was arranged by mutual friends or family instead.

Verb

kaishao (third-person singular simple present kaishaos, present participle kaishaoing, simple past and past participle kaishaoed)

1. (Philippines, Chinese Filipino) to matchmake; to set up; to introduce a possible romantic partner
   • 2023, Mae Coyiuto, Chloe and the Kaishao Boys‎^[4], pages 74–75:

     "There might be a small... slight chance that we're getting set up." I sigh. "But I didn't ask for this," I quickly clarify. "Auntie Queenie was weirded out that I didn't have guy friends for the roses in my debut, and she brought up wanting to kaishao me with someone. So you're, like, the kaishao boy." His judgy eyebrow is on full blast. "Kaishao boy?" "They basically used church as an excuse for ambush matchmaking."