媒
mediator, go-between
Readings
On'yomi
- バイ
Kun'yomi
- なこうど
Meaning
媒 centers on a person or thing that connects two sides: a mediator or go-between who facilitates communication or arrangement.
Most common words using 媒
20 of 72- 媒体ばいたいN1
medium; media
- 触媒しょくばい
catalyst
- 媒介ばいかい
mediation; agency; serving as a medium; acting as an intermediary; acting as a go-between
- 霊媒れいばい
spirit medium
- 溶媒ようばい
solvent
- 冷媒れいばい
refrigerant; coolant
- 媒酌人ばいしゃくにん
matchmaker; go-between
- 媒酌ばいしゃく
matchmaking; acting as a go-between
- コンピュータ媒介言語コンピュータばいかいげんご
Computer Mediated Communication; CMC
- データ媒体データばいたい
data medium
- データ媒体保護機構データばいたいほごきこう
data medium protection device
- データ媒体変換データばいたいへんかん
data transformation
- ニュース媒体ニュースばいたい
news media
- 事前記録媒体じぜんきろくばいたい
recorded (data) medium
- 光触媒ひかりしょくばい
photocatalyst; photocatalysis
- 光触媒作用ひかりしょくばいさよう
photocatalysis
- 光記録媒体ひかりきろくばいたい
optical storage media; optical storage medium
- 出し入れ可能媒体だしいれかのうばいたい
removable media
- 分散媒ぶんさんばい
dispersion medium
- 助触媒じょしょくばい
(catalytic) promoter
Study
Etymology
媒 combines 女 (woman) with 某, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of arranging or matching. Historically, matchmaking was often associated with women, giving the character its mediator sense.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 stands beside 某, a shape that suggests a certain someone. Picture a woman acting as a go-between, introducing two certain someones to each other.
Reading mnemonic
For バイ, imagine a mediator buying time between two arguing sides: buy -> バイ, and the woman 女 helps them reach an agreement.