diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 2efafac8b8..e0a432111d 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -7,3 +7,7 @@
 * text=auto eol=lf
 
 *.pdf binary
+
+# Pairing records are generated from the three confirmed owner-blob pairs.
+# The worktree-local installer registers the fail-closed driver command.
+*.i18n.yaml merge=dsh-translation-pairing
diff --git a/lefthook.yml b/lefthook.yml
index c2249adbde..0e78d16252 100644
--- a/lefthook.yml
+++ b/lefthook.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 pre-commit:
   jobs:
+    - name: translation pairing (staged records)
+      glob: '*.i18n.yaml'
+      run: node_modules/.bin/tsx scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts --cached {staged_files}
+
     - name: format (staged)
       glob: '*.{ts,tsx,mts,cts,mjs}'
       exclude:
@@ -34,6 +38,12 @@ pre-commit:
     - name: vendor manifest guard
       run: scripts/check-vendor-manifest.sh
 
+pre-merge-commit:
+  jobs:
+    - name: translation pairing (staged records)
+      glob: '*.i18n.yaml'
+      run: node_modules/.bin/tsx scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts --cached {staged_files}
+
 pre-push:
   jobs:
     - name: typecheck
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 423cbf813c..864814ffe6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
     "verify-type-equiv": "tsx scripts/verify-type-equiv.ts",
     "verify-translation-prompt": "tsx scripts/verify-translation-prompt.ts",
     "verify-translation-pairing": "tsx scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts",
+    "resolve-translation-pairing-conflicts": "tsx scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts --resolve",
     "gen-translation-brief": "tsx scripts/gen-translation-brief.ts",
     "verify-doc-budgets": "tsx scripts/verify-doc-budgets.ts",
     "docs:dev": "pnpm --filter @deepseek-ai/website run dev",
diff --git a/scripts/install-lefthook.mjs b/scripts/install-lefthook.mjs
index 0f840de9c8..b928582a8a 100644
--- a/scripts/install-lefthook.mjs
+++ b/scripts/install-lefthook.mjs
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ const INSTALL_LOCK_INITIALIZATION_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_000
 const INSTALL_LOCK_POLL_MS = 50
 const ALLOW_HOOKS_PATH_OVERRIDE = 'DSH_LEFTHOOK_ALLOW_HOOKS_PATH_OVERRIDE'
 const REPOSITORY_EXTENSION_PATTERN = '^extensions\\.'
+const PAIRING_MERGE_DRIVER_CONFIG = [
+  ['merge.dsh-translation-pairing.name', 'DeepSeek Harness bilingual pairing records'],
+  [
+    'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    'node --import tsx/esm scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts %O %A %B %P',
+  ],
+]
 
 function errorCode(error) {
   return typeof error === 'object' && error !== null && 'code' in error
@@ -595,6 +602,82 @@ function refuseScopedHooksPath(entry) {
   )
 }
 
+function installPairingMergeDriver(root, worktreeConfigPath) {
+  const added = []
+  try {
+    for (const [key, expected] of PAIRING_MERGE_DRIVER_CONFIG) {
+      const entries = includedFileConfigEntries(root, worktreeConfigPath, key)
+      const includedEntry = entries.find(entry => !originIsFile(entry.origin, root, worktreeConfigPath))
+      if (includedEntry !== undefined) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `refusing pairing merge-driver config from an included worktree file (${configSource(includedEntry)})`,
+        )
+      }
+      const existing = assertSingle(entries.map(entry => entry.value), `worktree ${key}`)
+      const effectiveBefore = effectiveConfigEntry(root, key)
+      if (effectiveBefore?.scope === 'command') {
+        throw new Error(
+          `refusing command-scoped ${key} (${configSource(effectiveBefore)}); `
+          + 'transient configuration cannot be replaced by the worktree installer',
+        )
+      }
+      if (existing === undefined && effectiveBefore !== undefined && effectiveBefore.value !== expected) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `refusing to mask inherited ${key} (${configSource(effectiveBefore)}); `
+          + 'remove or integrate the custom pairing merge driver explicitly',
+        )
+      }
+      if (existing !== undefined && existing !== expected) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `refusing to replace worktree ${key} value ${JSON.stringify(existing)}; `
+          + 'remove or integrate the custom pairing merge driver explicitly',
+        )
+      }
+      if (existing === undefined) {
+        git(['config', '--worktree', key, expected], root)
+        added.push(key)
+      }
+      const installed = includedFileConfigEntries(root, worktreeConfigPath, key)
+      if (
+        installed.length !== 1
+        || installed[0]?.value !== expected
+        || !originIsFile(installed[0].origin, root, worktreeConfigPath)
+      ) {
+        throw new Error(`new worktree-local ${key} did not become the direct worktree value`)
+      }
+      const effectiveAfter = effectiveConfigEntry(root, key)
+      if (
+        effectiveAfter === undefined
+        || effectiveAfter.scope !== 'worktree'
+        || effectiveAfter.value !== expected
+        || !originIsFile(effectiveAfter.origin, root, worktreeConfigPath)
+      ) {
+        throw new Error(`new worktree-local ${key} did not become the effective direct worktree value`)
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    const rollbackErrors = []
+    for (const key of added.reverse()) {
+      try {
+        git(['config', '--worktree', '--unset-all', key], root)
+      } catch (rollbackError) {
+        rollbackErrors.push(rollbackError)
+      }
+    }
+    if (rollbackErrors.length > 0) {
+      throw new AggregateError(
+        [error, ...rollbackErrors],
+        `Pairing merge-driver configuration failed: ${String(error)}; `
+        + `rollback also failed: ${rollbackErrors.map(String).join('; ')}`,
+      )
+    }
+    throw error
+  }
+  return () => {
+    for (const key of added.reverse()) git(['config', '--worktree', '--unset-all', key], root)
+  }
+}
+
 async function main() {
   if (process.env.CI === 'true' || process.env.GITHUB_ACTIONS === 'true') return
   if (typeof lefthookPackage.bin?.lefthook !== 'string') return
@@ -682,7 +765,9 @@ async function main() {
     applyWorktreeConfigMigration(root, commonConfigPath, migration)
 
     let pathChanged = false
+    let rollbackPairingMergeDriver = () => {}
     try {
+      rollbackPairingMergeDriver = installPairingMergeDriver(root, worktreeConfigPath)
       git(['config', '--worktree', 'core.hooksPath', hooksPath], root)
       pathChanged = worktreePath !== hooksPath
       const installedEntry = effectiveConfigEntry(root, 'core.hooksPath')
@@ -697,6 +782,7 @@ async function main() {
       runLefthook(root, lefthook)
       updateOwnershipMarker(ownedHooksDirectory.markerPath, hooksPath)
     } catch (error) {
+      const rollbackErrors = []
       if (pathChanged) {
         try {
           if (worktreePath === undefined) {
@@ -705,13 +791,21 @@ async function main() {
             git(['config', '--worktree', 'core.hooksPath', worktreePath], root)
           }
         } catch (rollbackError) {
-          throw new AggregateError(
-            [error, rollbackError],
-            `Lefthook installation failed: ${String(error)}; `
-            + `worktree hook rollback also failed: ${String(rollbackError)}`,
-          )
+          rollbackErrors.push(rollbackError)
         }
       }
+      try {
+        rollbackPairingMergeDriver()
+      } catch (rollbackError) {
+        rollbackErrors.push(rollbackError)
+      }
+      if (rollbackErrors.length > 0) {
+        throw new AggregateError(
+          [error, ...rollbackErrors],
+          `Lefthook installation failed: ${String(error)}; `
+          + `worktree integration rollback also failed: ${rollbackErrors.map(String).join('; ')}`,
+        )
+      }
       throw error
     }
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/scripts/install-lefthook.spec.ts b/scripts/install-lefthook.spec.ts
index ca74b91404..df9f1cd6d8 100644
--- a/scripts/install-lefthook.spec.ts
+++ b/scripts/install-lefthook.spec.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
 const installer = fileURLToPath(new URL('./install-lefthook.mjs', import.meta.url))
+const pairingMergeDriver = 'node --import tsx/esm scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts %O %A %B %P'
 const fixtures: string[] = []
 // Multi-worktree cases spawn several Git and Node subprocesses; coverage concurrency can
 // legitimately exceed Vitest's default deadline without changing the installer behavior.
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ if (!shouldFail) {
   const binary = join(root, 'node_modules', '.bin', process.platform === 'win32' ? 'lefthook.cmd' : 'lefthook')
   const config = readFileSync(join(root, 'lefthook.yml'), 'utf8').trim()
   const hook = \`#!/bin/sh\\n# root=\${root}\\n# binary=\${binary}\\n# config=\${config}\\nexit 0\\n\`
-  for (const name of ['pre-commit', 'pre-push']) writeFileSync(join(hooksPath, name), hook, { mode: 0o755 })
+  for (const name of ['pre-commit', 'pre-merge-commit', 'pre-push']) writeFileSync(join(hooksPath, name), hook, { mode: 0o755 })
 }
 if (existsSync(running)) unlinkSync(running)
 if (process.env.DSH_TEST_LEFTHOOK_BREAK_WORKTREE_CONFIG === '1') {
@@ -222,6 +223,9 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
       expect(git(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--get', 'core.repositoryFormatVersion'])).toBe('0')
       expect(existsSync(hooksPath(fixture, fixture.main))).toBe(false)
       expect(existsSync(join(common, 'config.worktree'))).toBe(false)
+      expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, [
+        'config', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+      ]).status).toBe(1)
     })
   }
 
@@ -241,6 +245,12 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
     expect(mainHooks).not.toBe(linkedHooks)
     expect(git(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--worktree', '--get', 'core.hooksPath'])).toBe(mainHooks)
     expect(git(fixture, fixture.linked, ['config', '--worktree', '--get', 'core.hooksPath'])).toBe(linkedHooks)
+    expect(git(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ])).toBe(pairingMergeDriver)
+    expect(git(fixture, fixture.linked, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ])).toBe(pairingMergeDriver)
 
     const mainHook = readFileSync(join(mainHooks, 'pre-commit'), 'utf8')
     const linkedHook = readFileSync(join(linkedHooks, 'pre-commit'), 'utf8')
@@ -252,6 +262,8 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
     expect(linkedHook).toContain(`# root=${canonicalLinked}`)
     expect(linkedHook).toContain('# config=linked-worktree-config')
     expect(linkedHook).not.toContain(canonicalMain)
+    expect(existsSync(join(mainHooks, 'pre-merge-commit'))).toBe(true)
+    expect(existsSync(join(linkedHooks, 'pre-merge-commit'))).toBe(true)
     expect(readFileSync(legacyHook, 'utf8')).toBe('#!/bin/sh\n# legacy hook\n')
 
     const commonConfig = join(common, 'config')
@@ -677,9 +689,50 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
     expect(result.stderr).toContain('command-scoped core.hooksPath')
     expect(readFileSync(sentinel, 'utf8')).toBe('#!/bin/sh\n# command-scope sentinel\n')
     expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--get', 'core.hooksPath']).status).toBe(1)
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ]).status).toBe(1)
     expect(existsSync(hooksPath(fixture, fixture.main))).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('never replaces a custom worktree pairing merge driver', async () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture()
+    const commonConfig = join(commonDirectory(fixture), 'config')
+    git(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--file', commonConfig, 'core.repositoryFormatVersion', '1'])
+    git(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--file', commonConfig, 'extensions.worktreeConfig', 'true'])
+    git(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver', 'custom-driver %A',
+    ])
+
+    const result = await runInstaller(fixture, fixture.main)
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe(1)
+    expect(result.stderr).toContain('refusing to replace worktree merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver')
+    expect(git(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ])).toBe('custom-driver %A')
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--get', 'core.hooksPath']).status).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  it('never masks an inherited custom pairing merge driver', async () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture()
+    git(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--local', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver', 'inherited-driver %A',
+    ])
+
+    const result = await runInstaller(fixture, fixture.main)
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe(1)
+    expect(result.stderr).toContain('refusing to mask inherited merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver')
+    expect(git(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--local', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ])).toBe('inherited-driver %A')
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ]).status).toBe(1)
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--get', 'core.hooksPath']).status).toBe(1)
+  })
+
   it('does not pass unrelated command-scoped Git config to Lefthook', async () => {
     const fixture = createFixture()
 
@@ -729,6 +782,12 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
     expect(result.stderr).toContain('exit status 77')
     expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--worktree', '--get', 'core.hooksPath']).status).toBe(1)
     expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, ['config', '--get', 'core.hooksPath']).status).toBe(1)
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.name',
+    ]).status).toBe(1)
+    expect(gitResult(fixture, fixture.main, [
+      'config', '--worktree', '--get', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver',
+    ]).status).toBe(1)
     expect(readFileSync(legacyHook, 'utf8')).toBe('#!/bin/sh\n# legacy pre-push\n')
   })
 
@@ -743,8 +802,9 @@ describe('worktree-local Lefthook installer', { timeout: 15_000 }, () => {
     expect(result.status).toBe(1)
     expect(result.stderr).toContain('Lefthook installation failed')
     expect(result.stderr).toContain('exit status 77')
-    expect(result.stderr).toContain('worktree hook rollback also failed')
+    expect(result.stderr).toContain('worktree integration rollback also failed')
     expect(result.stderr).toContain('git config --worktree --unset-all core.hooksPath failed')
+    expect(result.stderr).toContain('git config --worktree --unset-all merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver failed')
   })
 
   it('refuses an unowned directory at the reserved worktree hook path', async () => {
diff --git a/scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts b/scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8d193ab9f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/merge-translation-pairing.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/** Git merge-driver and explicit conflict-resolver entrypoint for pairing records. */
+
+import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import {
+  mergeTranslationPairingRecords,
+  resolveTranslationPairingConflicts,
+} from './translation-pairing-merge.ts'
+
+const args = process.argv.slice(2)
+
+try {
+  const root = execFileSync('git', ['rev-parse', '--show-toplevel'], { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim()
+  if (args[0] === '--resolve') {
+    if (args.length !== 1) throw new Error('--resolve takes no paths; it inspects the unmerged index')
+    const resolved = resolveTranslationPairingConflicts(root)
+    if (resolved.length === 0) {
+      console.log('merge-translation-pairing: no unresolved pairing records')
+    } else {
+      for (const path of resolved) console.log(`merge-translation-pairing: resolved ${path}`)
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (args.length !== 4) {
+      throw new Error('merge-driver mode requires <ancestor> <current> <other> <repository-path>')
+    }
+    const [ancestorPath, currentPath, otherPath, metaPath] = args
+    if (ancestorPath === undefined || currentPath === undefined || otherPath === undefined || metaPath === undefined) {
+      throw new Error('merge-driver arguments are incomplete')
+    }
+    const result = mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      root,
+      metaPath,
+      readFileSync(ancestorPath, 'utf8'),
+      readFileSync(currentPath, 'utf8'),
+      readFileSync(otherPath, 'utf8'),
+    )
+    writeFileSync(currentPath, result.record)
+  }
+} catch (error) {
+  console.error(`merge-translation-pairing: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`)
+  process.exitCode = 1
+}
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing-git.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing-git.ts
index 992f0abbb9..b18b2d5778 100644
--- a/scripts/translation-pairing-git.ts
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing-git.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,39 @@ function runGit(root: string, args: string[], operation: string, input?: Buffer)
   return result.stdout
 }
 
+/** One regular stage-zero Git index entry and its exact blob bytes. */
+export interface GitIndexBlob {
+  /** Object ID recorded in the index. */
+  objectId: string
+  /** Blob bytes stored under that object ID. */
+  content: Buffer
+}
+
+/**
+ * Read one path from the Git index without consulting working-tree bytes.
+ *
+ * @param root - Repository root.
+ * @param path - Repository-relative path.
+ * @returns The stage-zero blob, or `undefined` when the path is absent.
+ * @throws Error when the path is unmerged or has an invalid index shape.
+ */
+export function readGitIndexBlob(root: string, path: string): GitIndexBlob | undefined {
+  const output = runGit(
+    root,
+    ['ls-files', '--stage', '-z', '--', path],
+    `git ls-files --stage for ${path}`,
+  ).toString('utf8')
+  const entries = output.split('\0').filter(Boolean)
+  if (entries.length === 0) return undefined
+  if (entries.length !== 1) throw new Error(`${path} does not have exactly one resolved index entry`)
+  const match = /^(?:\d+) ([0-9a-f]+) 0\t[\s\S]+$/.exec(entries[0] ?? '')
+  if (!match?.[1]) throw new Error(`${path} remains unmerged or has an invalid index entry`)
+  return {
+    objectId: match[1],
+    content: runGit(root, ['cat-file', 'blob', match[1]], `reading staged ${path}`),
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Persist exact working-tree bytes so a pairing record can later recover them
  * with `git cat-file`, even when they have never appeared in the index or a
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.spec.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6a9a5bbb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+/** Integration coverage for automatic and explicit pairing-record conflict resolution. */
+
+import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { gitBlobHash, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import {
+  mergeTranslationPairingRecords,
+  resolveTranslationPairingConflicts,
+} from './translation-pairing-merge.ts'
+import {
+  renderTranslationPairingRecord,
+  translationPairPaths,
+} from './translation-pairing-record.ts'
+
+const driver = fileURLToPath(new URL('./merge-translation-pairing.ts', import.meta.url))
+const tsxLoader = fileURLToPath(import.meta.resolve('tsx/esm'))
+const fixtures: string[] = []
+
+interface Fixture {
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv
+  root: string
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  for (const fixture of fixtures.splice(0)) rmSync(fixture, { recursive: true, force: true })
+})
+
+function git(fixture: Fixture, args: string[]): string {
+  return execFileSync('git', ['-C', fixture.root, ...args], {
+    encoding: 'utf8',
+    env: fixture.env,
+  }).trim()
+}
+
+function write(root: string, path: string, content: string): void {
+  const absolute = join(root, path)
+  mkdirSync(dirname(absolute), { recursive: true })
+  writeFileSync(absolute, content)
+}
+
+function shellQuote(value: string): string {
+  return `"${value.replace(/["\\$`]/g, '\\$&')}"`
+}
+
+function createFixture(attributes = true): Fixture {
+  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-translation-pairing-merge-'))
+  fixtures.push(root)
+  const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {
+    ...process.env,
+    GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL: 'pairing@example.test',
+    GIT_AUTHOR_NAME: 'Pairing Test',
+    GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL: 'pairing@example.test',
+    GIT_COMMITTER_NAME: 'Pairing Test',
+    GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL: join(root, 'global.gitconfig'),
+    GIT_CONFIG_NOSYSTEM: '1',
+    GIT_DEFAULT_HASH: 'sha1',
+  }
+  const fixture = { env, root }
+  execFileSync('git', ['init', '--quiet', '--initial-branch=master', root], { env })
+  if (attributes) write(root, '.gitattributes', '*.i18n.yaml merge=dsh-translation-pairing\n')
+  return fixture
+}
+
+function record(root: string, path: string, source: string, zh: string): string {
+  const paths = translationPairPaths(path)
+  write(root, paths.source, source)
+  write(root, paths.zh, zh)
+  const content = renderTranslationPairingRecord(paths, {
+    sourceHash: storeGitBlob(root, Buffer.from(source)),
+    zhHash: storeGitBlob(root, Buffer.from(zh)),
+  })
+  write(root, paths.meta, content)
+  return content
+}
+
+const baseSource = '# Guide\n\nEnglish | [中文](guide.zh.md)\n\nAlpha base.\n\nBeta base.\n'
+const baseZh = '# 指南\n\n[English](guide.md) | 中文\n\n甲基础。\n\n乙基础。\n'
+const currentSource = baseSource.replace('Alpha base.', 'Alpha current.')
+const currentZh = baseZh.replace('甲基础。', '甲当前。')
+const otherSource = baseSource.replace('Beta base.', 'Beta other.')
+const otherZh = baseZh.replace('乙基础。', '乙对侧。')
+const mergedSource = currentSource.replace('Beta base.', 'Beta other.')
+const mergedZh = currentZh.replace('乙基础。', '乙对侧。')
+
+function commitPair(fixture: Fixture, source: string, zh: string, message: string): string {
+  const sidecar = record(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md', source, zh)
+  git(fixture, ['add', '.'])
+  git(fixture, ['commit', '-m', message])
+  return sidecar
+}
+
+function createDivergedPair(fixture: Fixture): { ancestor: string; current: string; other: string } {
+  const ancestor = commitPair(fixture, baseSource, baseZh, 'base')
+  git(fixture, ['switch', '-c', 'current'])
+  const current = commitPair(fixture, currentSource, currentZh, 'current')
+  git(fixture, ['switch', 'master'])
+  const other = commitPair(fixture, otherSource, otherZh, 'other')
+  git(fixture, ['switch', 'current'])
+  return { ancestor, current, other }
+}
+
+function expectMergedPair(fixture: Fixture): void {
+  expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(mergedSource)
+  expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.zh.md'), 'utf8')).toBe(mergedZh)
+  expect(readFileSync(join(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.i18n.yaml'), 'utf8')).toBe(
+    renderTranslationPairingRecord(translationPairPaths('docs/guide.md'), {
+      sourceHash: gitBlobHash(Buffer.from(mergedSource)),
+      zhHash: gitBlobHash(Buffer.from(mergedZh)),
+    }),
+  )
+}
+
+describe('translation pairing merge composition', () => {
+  it('rejects a pairing-record path outside the repository', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+
+    expect(() => mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      fixture.root,
+      '../guide.i18n.yaml',
+      '',
+      '',
+      '',
+    )).toThrow('pairing record escapes the repository')
+  })
+
+  it('merges the owner blobs named by three valid records', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    const records = createDivergedPair(fixture)
+
+    const result = mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.i18n.yaml',
+      records.ancestor,
+      records.current,
+      records.other,
+    )
+
+    expect(result.sourceContent.toString('utf8')).toBe(mergedSource)
+    expect(result.zhContent.toString('utf8')).toBe(mergedZh)
+    expect(result.sourceHash).toBe(gitBlobHash(Buffer.from(mergedSource)))
+    expect(result.zhHash).toBe(gitBlobHash(Buffer.from(mergedZh)))
+  })
+
+  it('leaves owner-content conflicts for a human', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    const ancestor = record(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md', baseSource, baseZh)
+    const current = record(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.md',
+      baseSource.replace('Alpha base.', 'Alpha current.'),
+      baseZh.replace('甲基础。', '甲当前。'),
+    )
+    const other = record(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.md',
+      baseSource.replace('Alpha base.', 'Alpha other.'),
+      baseZh.replace('甲基础。', '甲对侧。'),
+    )
+
+    expect(() => mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.i18n.yaml',
+      ancestor,
+      current,
+      other,
+    )).toThrow('docs/guide.md has content conflicts')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects structurally divergent clean owner merges', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    const ancestor = record(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md', baseSource, baseZh)
+    const current = record(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md', currentSource, currentZh)
+    const other = record(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.md',
+      `${otherSource}\n## Extra\n`,
+      otherZh,
+    )
+
+    expect(() => mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.i18n.yaml',
+      ancestor,
+      current,
+      other,
+    )).toThrow('clean merges diverge structurally')
+  })
+
+  it('refuses owners assigned to another merge strategy', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    write(fixture.root, '.gitattributes', 'docs/*.md merge=custom-owner\n')
+    const records = createDivergedPair(fixture)
+
+    expect(() => mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      fixture.root,
+      'docs/guide.i18n.yaml',
+      records.ancestor,
+      records.current,
+      records.other,
+    )).toThrow('docs/guide.md uses merge=custom-owner')
+  })
+
+  it('runs as Git\'s custom driver and commits a clean composed record', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture()
+    createDivergedPair(fixture)
+    const command = [
+      shellQuote(process.execPath),
+      '--import', shellQuote(tsxLoader),
+      shellQuote(driver),
+      '%O', '%A', '%B', '%P',
+    ].join(' ')
+    git(fixture, ['config', 'merge.dsh-translation-pairing.driver', command])
+
+    git(fixture, ['merge', '--no-edit', 'master'])
+
+    expect(git(fixture, ['diff', '--name-only', '--diff-filter=U'])).toBe('')
+    expectMergedPair(fixture)
+  })
+
+  it('resolves an already-stopped generated-only conflict from index stages', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    createDivergedPair(fixture)
+    const merge = spawnSync('git', ['-C', fixture.root, 'merge', '--no-commit', 'master'], {
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+      env: fixture.env,
+    })
+    expect(merge.status).toBe(1)
+    expect(git(fixture, ['diff', '--name-only', '--diff-filter=U'])).toBe('docs/guide.i18n.yaml')
+
+    expect(resolveTranslationPairingConflicts(fixture.root)).toEqual(['docs/guide.i18n.yaml'])
+
+    expect(git(fixture, ['diff', '--name-only', '--diff-filter=U'])).toBe('')
+    expectMergedPair(fixture)
+  })
+
+  it('refuses to confirm unstaged owner bytes after a stopped merge', () => {
+    const fixture = createFixture(false)
+    createDivergedPair(fixture)
+    const merge = spawnSync('git', ['-C', fixture.root, 'merge', '--no-commit', 'master'], {
+      encoding: 'utf8',
+      env: fixture.env,
+    })
+    expect(merge.status).toBe(1)
+    write(fixture.root, 'docs/guide.md', `${mergedSource}\nunstaged\n`)
+
+    expect(() => resolveTranslationPairingConflicts(fixture.root)).toThrow(
+      'docs/guide.md has unstaged content',
+    )
+    expect(git(fixture, ['diff', '--name-only', '--diff-filter=U'])).toBe('docs/guide.i18n.yaml')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3297e30ea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing-merge.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,267 @@
+/** Fail-closed composition of bilingual pairing records during Git merges. */
+
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { basename, isAbsolute, join, relative, resolve, sep } from 'node:path'
+import { gitBlobHash, readGitIndexBlob, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import {
+  linksTo,
+  isTranslationScopeFile,
+  parseTranslationMarkdown,
+  translationStructureDiff,
+  translationStructureSignature,
+} from './translation-pairing.ts'
+import {
+  parseTranslationPairingRecord,
+  renderTranslationPairingRecord,
+  translationPairPathsFromMeta,
+  type TranslationPairPaths,
+  type TranslationPairingRecord,
+} from './translation-pairing-record.ts'
+
+const MAX_GIT_OUTPUT = 1 << 26
+const UNMERGED_ENTRY = /^(\d+) ([0-9a-f]+) ([123])\t([\s\S]+)$/
+
+/** A mechanically composed record and the exact merged owner contents it names. */
+export interface TranslationPairingMergeResult extends TranslationPairingRecord {
+  /** Canonical generated sidecar text. */
+  record: string
+  /** Clean three-way merge of the English owner. */
+  sourceContent: Buffer
+  /** Clean three-way merge of the Simplified Chinese owner. */
+  zhContent: Buffer
+}
+
+interface UnmergedStages {
+  ancestor?: string
+  current?: string
+  other?: string
+}
+
+function runGit(root: string, args: string[], operation: string, input?: Buffer): Buffer {
+  const result = spawnSync('git', ['-C', root, ...args], {
+    input,
+    maxBuffer: MAX_GIT_OUTPUT,
+  })
+  if (result.error) throw new Error(`${operation} failed: ${result.error.message}`, { cause: result.error })
+  if (result.status !== 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${operation} failed with status ${String(result.status)}: ${result.stderr.toString('utf8').trim()}`)
+  }
+  return result.stdout
+}
+
+function readGitBlob(root: string, objectId: string, owner: string): Buffer {
+  const content = runGit(root, ['cat-file', 'blob', objectId], `reading ${owner} blob ${objectId}`)
+  if (gitBlobHash(content) !== objectId) {
+    throw new Error(`${owner} record names ${objectId}, which is not its SHA-1 git blob hash`)
+  }
+  return content
+}
+
+function assertDefaultTextMerge(root: string, paths: TranslationPairPaths): void {
+  const output = runGit(
+    root,
+    ['check-attr', '-z', 'merge', '--', paths.source, paths.zh],
+    'checking bilingual owner merge attributes',
+  ).toString('utf8')
+  const fields = output.split('\0')
+  fields.pop()
+  for (let index = 0; index < fields.length; index += 3) {
+    const path = fields[index]
+    const value = fields[index + 2]
+    if (path === undefined || value === undefined) {
+      throw new Error('git check-attr returned a malformed result')
+    }
+    if (!['unspecified', 'set', 'text'].includes(value)) {
+      throw new Error(`${path} uses merge=${value}; the pairing driver only composes Git's default text merge`)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function mergeBlobTriplet(
+  root: string,
+  owner: string,
+  ancestor: Buffer,
+  current: Buffer,
+  other: Buffer,
+): Buffer {
+  const temporary = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-translation-pairing-merge-'))
+  try {
+    const ancestorPath = join(temporary, 'ancestor')
+    const currentPath = join(temporary, 'current')
+    const otherPath = join(temporary, 'other')
+    writeFileSync(ancestorPath, ancestor)
+    writeFileSync(currentPath, current)
+    writeFileSync(otherPath, other)
+    const result = spawnSync('git', [
+      '-C', root,
+      'merge-file', '-p',
+      '-L', `${owner}:current`,
+      '-L', `${owner}:ancestor`,
+      '-L', `${owner}:other`,
+      currentPath, ancestorPath, otherPath,
+    ], { maxBuffer: MAX_GIT_OUTPUT })
+    if (result.error) {
+      throw new Error(`merging ${owner} failed: ${result.error.message}`, { cause: result.error })
+    }
+    if (result.status !== 0) {
+      const kind = result.status !== null && result.status > 0 && result.status <= 127
+        ? 'has content conflicts'
+        : `failed with status ${String(result.status)}`
+      throw new Error(`${owner} ${kind}`)
+    }
+    return result.stdout
+  } finally {
+    rmSync(temporary, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  }
+}
+
+function loadRecordOwners(
+  root: string,
+  label: string,
+  content: string,
+  paths: TranslationPairPaths,
+): { source: Buffer; zh: Buffer } {
+  const record = parseTranslationPairingRecord(content, paths)
+  if (record === undefined) throw new Error(`${label} ${paths.meta} is not a valid two-hash pairing record`)
+  return {
+    source: readGitBlob(root, record.sourceHash, `${label} ${paths.source}`),
+    zh: readGitBlob(root, record.zhHash, `${label} ${paths.zh}`),
+  }
+}
+
+function assertMergedPairStructure(paths: TranslationPairPaths, source: Buffer, zh: Buffer): void {
+  const sourceTree = parseTranslationMarkdown(source.toString('utf8'))
+  const zhTree = parseTranslationMarkdown(zh.toString('utf8'))
+  if (!linksTo(sourceTree, basename(paths.zh))) {
+    throw new Error(`${paths.source} clean merge lost its language-switcher link to ${basename(paths.zh)}`)
+  }
+  if (!linksTo(zhTree, basename(paths.source))) {
+    throw new Error(`${paths.zh} clean merge lost its language-switcher link to ${basename(paths.source)}`)
+  }
+  const divergences = translationStructureDiff(
+    translationStructureSignature(sourceTree, basename(paths.zh)),
+    translationStructureSignature(zhTree, basename(paths.source)),
+  )
+  if (divergences.length > 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${paths.source} and ${paths.zh} clean merges diverge structurally: ${divergences.join('; ')}`)
+  }
+}
+
+function normalizeMetaPath(root: string, meta: string): string {
+  if (isAbsolute(meta)) throw new Error(`pairing record must be repository-relative: ${JSON.stringify(meta)}`)
+  const repositoryRelative = relative(resolve(root), resolve(root, meta))
+  if (repositoryRelative === '' || repositoryRelative === '..' || repositoryRelative.startsWith(`..${sep}`)) {
+    throw new Error(`pairing record escapes the repository: ${JSON.stringify(meta)}`)
+  }
+  return repositoryRelative.split(sep).join('/')
+}
+
+/**
+ * Compose one generated sidecar from the ancestor, current, and other records.
+ *
+ * Each input record is already a confirmation of its two owner blobs. The
+ * result exists only when Git's default text merge succeeds independently for
+ * both languages and the composed documents retain the pairing structure.
+ *
+ * @param root - Repository root containing the referenced Git objects.
+ * @param metaPath - Repository-relative sidecar path.
+ * @param ancestorRecord - Common-ancestor sidecar text.
+ * @param currentRecord - Current-side sidecar text.
+ * @param otherRecord - Other-side sidecar text.
+ * @returns The canonical record and exact merged owner contents.
+ * @throws Error when the input is not mechanically composable.
+ */
+export function mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+  root: string,
+  metaPath: string,
+  ancestorRecord: string,
+  currentRecord: string,
+  otherRecord: string,
+): TranslationPairingMergeResult {
+  const normalizedMeta = normalizeMetaPath(root, metaPath)
+  if (!isTranslationScopeFile(normalizedMeta)) {
+    throw new Error(`${normalizedMeta} is outside the active bilingual documentation corpus`)
+  }
+  const paths = translationPairPathsFromMeta(normalizedMeta)
+  assertDefaultTextMerge(root, paths)
+  const ancestor = loadRecordOwners(root, 'ancestor', ancestorRecord, paths)
+  const current = loadRecordOwners(root, 'current', currentRecord, paths)
+  const other = loadRecordOwners(root, 'other', otherRecord, paths)
+  const sourceContent = mergeBlobTriplet(root, paths.source, ancestor.source, current.source, other.source)
+  const zhContent = mergeBlobTriplet(root, paths.zh, ancestor.zh, current.zh, other.zh)
+  assertMergedPairStructure(paths, sourceContent, zhContent)
+  const sourceHash = storeGitBlob(root, sourceContent)
+  const zhHash = storeGitBlob(root, zhContent)
+  return {
+    record: renderTranslationPairingRecord(paths, { sourceHash, zhHash }),
+    sourceContent,
+    sourceHash,
+    zhContent,
+    zhHash,
+  }
+}
+
+function unmergedSidecars(root: string): Map<string, UnmergedStages> {
+  const output = runGit(root, ['ls-files', '--unmerged', '-z'], 'listing unresolved merge entries').toString('utf8')
+  const records = new Map<string, UnmergedStages>()
+  for (const entry of output.split('\0')) {
+    if (entry === '') continue
+    const match = UNMERGED_ENTRY.exec(entry)
+    if (!match?.[2] || !match[3] || match[4] === undefined) {
+      throw new Error(`git ls-files returned a malformed unmerged entry: ${JSON.stringify(entry)}`)
+    }
+    const path = match[4]
+    if (!path.endsWith('.i18n.yaml')) continue
+    const stages = records.get(path) ?? {}
+    const field = match[3] === '1' ? 'ancestor' : match[3] === '2' ? 'current' : 'other'
+    stages[field] = match[2]
+    records.set(path, stages)
+  }
+  return records
+}
+
+/**
+ * Resolve every mechanically composable `.i18n.yaml` conflict in the index.
+ *
+ * The command first proves that Git's already-staged owner merges match the
+ * independently composed contents, then writes and stages all sidecars as one
+ * batch. Other conflicts remain untouched.
+ *
+ * @param root - Repository root with an in-progress merge-like operation.
+ * @returns Repository-relative sidecar paths resolved and staged.
+ */
+export function resolveTranslationPairingConflicts(root: string): string[] {
+  const resolutions: { path: string; record: string }[] = []
+  for (const [metaPath, stages] of [...unmergedSidecars(root)].sort(([left], [right]) => left.localeCompare(right))) {
+    if (stages.ancestor === undefined || stages.current === undefined || stages.other === undefined) {
+      throw new Error(`${metaPath} is an add/delete or incomplete-stage conflict and requires manual resolution`)
+    }
+    const result = mergeTranslationPairingRecords(
+      root,
+      metaPath,
+      readGitBlob(root, stages.ancestor, `ancestor ${metaPath}`).toString('utf8'),
+      readGitBlob(root, stages.current, `current ${metaPath}`).toString('utf8'),
+      readGitBlob(root, stages.other, `other ${metaPath}`).toString('utf8'),
+    )
+    const paths = translationPairPathsFromMeta(metaPath)
+    if (readGitIndexBlob(root, paths.source)?.objectId !== result.sourceHash) {
+      throw new Error(`${paths.source} staged merge does not match the pairing driver's clean merge`)
+    }
+    if (readGitIndexBlob(root, paths.zh)?.objectId !== result.zhHash) {
+      throw new Error(`${paths.zh} staged merge does not match the pairing driver's clean merge`)
+    }
+    for (const [path, expected] of [[paths.source, result.sourceHash], [paths.zh, result.zhHash]] as const) {
+      if (gitBlobHash(readFileSync(join(root, path))) !== expected) {
+        throw new Error(`${path} has unstaged content; refusing to confirm bytes outside the merge result`)
+      }
+    }
+    resolutions.push({ path: metaPath, record: result.record })
+  }
+  for (const resolution of resolutions) writeFileSync(join(root, resolution.path), resolution.record)
+  if (resolutions.length > 0) {
+    runGit(root, ['add', '--', ...resolutions.map(resolution => resolution.path)], 'staging resolved pairing records')
+  }
+  return resolutions.map(resolution => resolution.path)
+}
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing-record.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing-record.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d4481ea5b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing-record.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/** Canonical paths, parsing, and rendering for bilingual pairing records. */
+
+import { basename } from 'node:path'
+
+/** The three repository-relative paths that form one bilingual pair. */
+export interface TranslationPairPaths {
+  /** English document path. */
+  source: string
+  /** Simplified Chinese document path. */
+  zh: string
+  /** Generated consistency-record path. */
+  meta: string
+}
+
+/** The two content hashes recorded for a bilingual pair. */
+export interface TranslationPairingRecord {
+  /** Git blob hash of the English document. */
+  sourceHash: string
+  /** Git blob hash of the Simplified Chinese document. */
+  zhHash: string
+}
+
+const META_LINE = /^([^:#]+\.md): ([0-9a-f]{40})$/
+
+/**
+ * Derive the counterpart and consistency-record paths from an English document.
+ *
+ * @param source - Repository-relative English Markdown path.
+ * @returns The complete three-path pair.
+ */
+export function translationPairPaths(source: string): TranslationPairPaths {
+  if (!source.endsWith('.md') || source.endsWith('.zh.md')) {
+    throw new Error(`expected an English Markdown path, received ${JSON.stringify(source)}`)
+  }
+  return {
+    source,
+    zh: source.replace(/\.md$/, '.zh.md'),
+    meta: source.replace(/\.md$/, '.i18n.yaml'),
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Derive one pair from its consistency-record path.
+ *
+ * @param meta - Repository-relative `foo.i18n.yaml` path.
+ * @returns The complete three-path pair.
+ */
+export function translationPairPathsFromMeta(meta: string): TranslationPairPaths {
+  if (!meta.endsWith('.i18n.yaml')) {
+    throw new Error(`expected a bilingual consistency-record path, received ${JSON.stringify(meta)}`)
+  }
+  return translationPairPaths(meta.replace(/\.i18n\.yaml$/, '.md'))
+}
+
+/**
+ * Parse a consistency record for its expected sibling names.
+ *
+ * @param content - Complete sidecar text.
+ * @param paths - Expected sibling paths.
+ * @returns The two hashes, or `undefined` for malformed, duplicate, or unexpected keys.
+ */
+export function parseTranslationPairingRecord(
+  content: string,
+  paths: TranslationPairPaths,
+): TranslationPairingRecord | undefined {
+  const hashes = new Map<string, string>()
+  for (const line of content.split('\n')) {
+    if (line === '' || line.startsWith('#')) continue
+    const match = META_LINE.exec(line)
+    if (!match?.[1] || !match[2] || hashes.has(match[1])) return undefined
+    hashes.set(match[1], match[2])
+  }
+  const sourceHash = hashes.get(basename(paths.source))
+  const zhHash = hashes.get(basename(paths.zh))
+  if (hashes.size !== 2 || sourceHash === undefined || zhHash === undefined) return undefined
+  return { sourceHash, zhHash }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Render the canonical consistency record for a pair.
+ *
+ * @param paths - Pair paths written into the record and its recovery command.
+ * @param record - Confirmed content hashes.
+ * @returns Canonical YAML text with exactly one trailing newline.
+ */
+export function renderTranslationPairingRecord(
+  paths: TranslationPairPaths,
+  record: TranslationPairingRecord,
+): string {
+  return [
+    '# Bilingual-pair consistency record (docs/i18n/README.md): the git blob hash of each',
+    '# side as of the last confirmed-consistent state. Both languages carry equal authority;',
+    '# after editing either side, bring the other along and re-record with:',
+    `#   pnpm run verify-translation-pairing --write ${paths.source}`,
+    `${basename(paths.source)}: ${record.sourceHash}`,
+    `${basename(paths.zh)}: ${record.zhHash}`,
+    '',
+  ].join('\n')
+}
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing.spec.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing.spec.ts
index 4d44266887..1073495d08 100644
--- a/scripts/translation-pairing.spec.ts
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing.spec.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 /** Regression tests for bilingual snapshots, corpus scope, and structure. */
 
 import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'
-import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { gitBlobHash, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import { gitBlobHash, readGitIndexBlob, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import {
+  parseTranslationPairingRecord,
+  renderTranslationPairingRecord,
+  translationPairPaths,
+} from './translation-pairing-record.ts'
 import {
   isTranslationScopeFile,
   pairAnchorOfArgument,
@@ -74,6 +79,28 @@ describe('translation pairing snapshots', () => {
     }
   })
 
+  it('reads staged bytes independently of the working tree', () => {
+    const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-translation-pairing-index-'))
+    try {
+      execFileSync('git', ['init', '--quiet', root], {
+        env: { ...process.env, GIT_DEFAULT_HASH: 'sha1' },
+      })
+      execFileSync('git', ['-C', root, 'config', 'user.email', 'pairing@example.test'])
+      execFileSync('git', ['-C', root, 'config', 'user.name', 'Pairing Test'])
+      writeFileSync(join(root, 'owner.md'), 'staged')
+      execFileSync('git', ['-C', root, 'add', 'owner.md'])
+      writeFileSync(join(root, 'owner.md'), 'unstaged')
+
+      const indexed = readGitIndexBlob(root, 'owner.md')
+
+      expect(indexed?.content.toString('utf8')).toBe('staged')
+      expect(indexed?.objectId).toBe(gitBlobHash(Buffer.from('staged')))
+      expect(readGitIndexBlob(root, 'absent.md')).toBeUndefined()
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    }
+  })
+
   it.skipIf(!supportsSha256ObjectFormat)('rejects an object format that pairing records cannot represent', () => {
     const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-translation-pairing-'))
     try {
@@ -113,6 +140,32 @@ describe('translation pairing manifest', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('translation pairing records', () => {
+  const paths = translationPairPaths('docs/foo.md')
+  const record = {
+    sourceHash: '1'.repeat(40),
+    zhHash: '2'.repeat(40),
+  }
+
+  it('round-trips the canonical two-hash record', () => {
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingRecord(renderTranslationPairingRecord(paths, record), paths)).toEqual(record)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects duplicate or unexpected keys', () => {
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingRecord([
+      `foo.md: ${'1'.repeat(40)}`,
+      `foo.md: ${'3'.repeat(40)}`,
+      `foo.zh.md: ${'2'.repeat(40)}`,
+      '',
+    ].join('\n'), paths)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingRecord([
+      `foo.md: ${'1'.repeat(40)}`,
+      `bar.zh.md: ${'2'.repeat(40)}`,
+      '',
+    ].join('\n'), paths)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
+
 describe('translation scope discovery', () => {
   it.each([
     'README.md',
@@ -186,28 +239,56 @@ describe('pair CLI arguments', () => {
 
   it('scopes a check to named pairs and dedupes the three spellings', () => {
     expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['docs/foo.zh.md', 'docs/foo.i18n.yaml', 'docs/bar.md'])).toEqual({
+      input: 'worktree',
       mode: 'check',
       scope: 'pairs',
       anchors: ['docs/bar.md', 'docs/foo.md'],
     })
-    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs([])).toEqual({ mode: 'check', scope: 'corpus', anchors: [] })
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs([])).toEqual({
+      input: 'worktree',
+      mode: 'check',
+      scope: 'corpus',
+      anchors: [],
+    })
   })
 
   it('requires --write to name confirmed pairs or opt into --all', () => {
     expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--write'])).toThrow('requires the pair(s) you confirmed')
     expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--write', 'docs/foo.md'])).toEqual({
+      input: 'worktree',
       mode: 'write',
       scope: 'pairs',
       anchors: ['docs/foo.md'],
     })
-    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--write', '--all'])).toEqual({ mode: 'write', scope: 'corpus', anchors: [] })
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--write', '--all'])).toEqual({
+      input: 'worktree',
+      mode: 'write',
+      scope: 'corpus',
+      anchors: [],
+    })
     expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--write', '--all', 'docs/foo.md'])).toThrow('not both')
   })
 
   it('keeps --list corpus-only and rejects unknown flags', () => {
-    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--list'])).toEqual({ mode: 'list', scope: 'corpus', anchors: [] })
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--list'])).toEqual({
+      input: 'worktree',
+      mode: 'list',
+      scope: 'corpus',
+      anchors: [],
+    })
     expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--list', 'docs/foo.md'])).toThrow('takes no other flags or paths')
     expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--all'])).toThrow('--all only applies to --write')
     expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--frobnicate'])).toThrow('unknown flag(s): --frobnicate')
   })
+
+  it('makes cached verification a named, read-only index check', () => {
+    expect(parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--cached', 'docs/foo.i18n.yaml'])).toEqual({
+      input: 'index',
+      mode: 'check',
+      scope: 'pairs',
+      anchors: ['docs/foo.md'],
+    })
+    expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--cached'])).toThrow('requires the staged pair paths')
+    expect(() => parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(['--cached', '--write', 'docs/foo.md'])).toThrow('read-only')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/scripts/translation-pairing.ts b/scripts/translation-pairing.ts
index 7f24d9bce7..6d6893f843 100644
--- a/scripts/translation-pairing.ts
+++ b/scripts/translation-pairing.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ export function pairAnchorOfArgument(argument: string): string {
 
 /** A parsed `verify-translation-pairing` invocation. */
 export interface TranslationPairingCliRequest {
+  /** Content plane read by the check. Writes and corpus checks use the working tree. */
+  input: 'worktree' | 'index'
   mode: 'check' | 'list' | 'write'
   /** `corpus` runs discovery over the whole tree; `pairs` touches only the named anchors. */
   scope: 'corpus' | 'pairs'
@@ -142,24 +144,32 @@ export interface TranslationPairingCliRequest {
 export function parseTranslationPairingCliArgs(argv: string[]): TranslationPairingCliRequest {
   const flags = argv.filter(argument => argument.startsWith('--'))
   const anchors = [...new Set(argv.filter(argument => !argument.startsWith('--')).map(pairAnchorOfArgument))].sort()
-  const unknown = flags.filter(flag => !['--list', '--write', '--all'].includes(flag))
+  const unknown = flags.filter(flag => !['--list', '--write', '--all', '--cached'].includes(flag))
   if (unknown.length > 0) throw new Error(`unknown flag(s): ${unknown.join(', ')}`)
   const listMode = flags.includes('--list')
   const writeMode = flags.includes('--write')
   const allMode = flags.includes('--all')
-  if (listMode && (writeMode || allMode || anchors.length > 0)) {
+  const cachedMode = flags.includes('--cached')
+  if (listMode && (writeMode || allMode || cachedMode || anchors.length > 0)) {
     throw new Error('--list reports the whole corpus and takes no other flags or paths')
   }
   if (allMode && !writeMode) throw new Error('--all only applies to --write')
+  if (cachedMode && writeMode) throw new Error('--cached is a read-only index check and cannot be combined with --write')
+  if (cachedMode && anchors.length === 0) throw new Error('--cached requires the staged pair paths to check')
   if (writeMode) {
     if (anchors.length > 0 && allMode) throw new Error('--write takes either pair paths or --all, not both')
     if (anchors.length === 0 && !allMode) {
       throw new Error('--write requires the pair(s) you confirmed (any file of a pair), or --all to re-record every complete pair; recording pairs you did not review blesses unconfirmed content')
     }
-    return { mode: 'write', scope: allMode ? 'corpus' : 'pairs', anchors }
+    return { input: 'worktree', mode: 'write', scope: allMode ? 'corpus' : 'pairs', anchors }
+  }
+  if (listMode) return { input: 'worktree', mode: 'list', scope: 'corpus', anchors: [] }
+  return {
+    input: cachedMode ? 'index' : 'worktree',
+    mode: 'check',
+    scope: anchors.length > 0 ? 'pairs' : 'corpus',
+    anchors,
   }
-  if (listMode) return { mode: 'list', scope: 'corpus', anchors: [] }
-  return { mode: 'check', scope: anchors.length > 0 ? 'pairs' : 'corpus', anchors }
 }
 
 /** The structural surface compared between the two sides of a pair. */
diff --git a/scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts b/scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts
index 4ebd664cb7..59818183e3 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts
+++ b/scripts/verify-translation-pairing.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,21 @@
  * blob hashes for every in-scope document. The manifest contains only explicit
  * exclusions, which may have neither a counterpart nor a sidecar.
  * `--list` reports state; `--write <pairs...>` records the named confirmed
- * pairs (`--write --all` records every complete pair); a check or write named
- * with pair paths touches only those pairs, so update iteration does not pay
- * for a corpus scan. Translation quality remains a review responsibility.
+ * pairs (`--write --all` records every complete pair); `--cached <pairs...>`
+ * checks exact index bytes for hooks. A check or write named with pair paths
+ * touches only those pairs, so update iteration does not pay for a corpus
+ * scan. Translation quality remains a review responsibility.
  * See `docs/i18n/README.md` for the owning contract.
  */
 
 import { existsSync, globSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { basename, join, resolve, sep } from 'node:path'
-import { gitBlobHash, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import { gitBlobHash, readGitIndexBlob, storeGitBlob } from './translation-pairing-git.ts'
+import {
+  parseTranslationPairingRecord,
+  renderTranslationPairingRecord,
+  translationPairPaths,
+} from './translation-pairing-record.ts'
 import {
   linksTo,
   parseTranslationMarkdown,
@@ -33,6 +39,24 @@ try {
 }
 const listMode = request.mode === 'list'
 const writeMode = request.mode === 'write'
+const indexMode = request.input === 'index'
+
+const contentCache = new Map<string, Buffer | undefined>()
+
+/** Read one repository path from the selected worktree or index plane. */
+function readRepositoryFile(file: string): Buffer | undefined {
+  if (contentCache.has(file)) return contentCache.get(file)
+  const content = indexMode
+    ? readGitIndexBlob(root, file)?.content
+    : existsSync(join(root, file)) ? readFileSync(join(root, file)) : undefined
+  contentCache.set(file, content)
+  return content
+}
+
+/** Whether one path exists in the selected content plane. */
+function repositoryFileExists(file: string): boolean {
+  return readRepositoryFile(file) !== undefined
+}
 
 /** Discover source Markdown and pairing sidecars before applying the corpus predicate. */
 const SCOPE_PATTERNS = [
@@ -42,7 +66,11 @@ const SCOPE_PATTERNS = [
   '.agents/notes/**/*.i18n.yaml',
 ]
 
-const manifest = parseTranslationPairingManifest(readFileSync(join(root, 'scripts/translation-pairing.manifest.json'), 'utf8'))
+const manifestContent = readRepositoryFile('scripts/translation-pairing.manifest.json')
+if (manifestContent === undefined) {
+  throw new Error('scripts/translation-pairing.manifest.json is missing from the selected content plane')
+}
+const manifest = parseTranslationPairingManifest(manifestContent.toString('utf8'))
 
 /**
  * An excluded entry ending in `/` excludes the whole directory. The trailing
@@ -54,50 +82,20 @@ function isExcluded(file: string): boolean {
   return manifest.excluded.some(entry => (entry.endsWith('/') ? file.startsWith(entry) : file === entry))
 }
 
-/** The three paths of a pair, derived from the English-file path. */
-function pairPaths(source: string): { zh: string; meta: string } {
-  return { zh: source.replace(/\.md$/, '.zh.md'), meta: source.replace(/\.md$/, '.i18n.yaml') }
-}
-
-const META_LINE = /^([^:#]+\.md): ([0-9a-f]{40})$/
-
-/** Parse a `foo.i18n.yaml` consistency record: basename → recorded blob hash. */
-function parseMeta(content: string): Map<string, string> | undefined {
-  const out = new Map<string, string>()
-  for (const line of content.split('\n')) {
-    if (line === '' || line.startsWith('#')) continue
-    const match = META_LINE.exec(line)
-    if (!match?.[1] || !match[2]) return undefined
-    out.set(match[1], match[2])
-  }
-  return out
-}
-
-/** Render a `foo.i18n.yaml` consistency record. */
-function renderMeta(source: string, sourceHash: string, zh: string, zhHash: string): string {
-  return [
-    '# Bilingual-pair consistency record (docs/i18n/README.md): the git blob hash of each',
-    '# side as of the last confirmed-consistent state. Both languages carry equal authority;',
-    '# after editing either side, bring the other along and re-record with:',
-    `#   pnpm run verify-translation-pairing --write ${source}`,
-    `${basename(source)}: ${sourceHash}`,
-    `${basename(zh)}: ${zhHash}`,
-    '',
-  ].join('\n')
-}
-
 // Enumerate the scope once: the whole corpus, or exactly the named pairs'
 // three files (a named pair whose files are absent is caught by the same
 // completeness rules that cover discovered remnants).
 const files = new Set<string>()
 if (request.scope === 'pairs') {
   for (const anchor of request.anchors) {
-    for (const file of [anchor, ...Object.values(pairPaths(anchor))]) {
-      if (existsSync(join(root, file))) files.add(file)
+    const { source, zh, meta } = translationPairPaths(anchor)
+    for (const file of [source, zh, meta]) {
+      if (repositoryFileExists(file)) files.add(file)
     }
-    // A named anchor with no files on disk still enters the source list so
-    // the check reports it instead of silently passing an empty scope.
-    if (!existsSync(join(root, anchor))) files.add(anchor)
+    // A named worktree anchor with no files still enters the source list so
+    // an interactive check reports it. An index check accepts a complete
+    // three-file deletion and still rejects every partial deletion below.
+    if (!indexMode && !repositoryFileExists(anchor)) files.add(anchor)
   }
 } else {
   for (const pattern of SCOPE_PATTERNS) {
@@ -113,8 +111,11 @@ const sources = [...files].filter(f => f.endsWith('.md') && !f.endsWith('.zh.md'
 
 if (request.scope === 'pairs') {
   const rejected = request.anchors.filter(anchor => !isTranslationScopeFile(anchor) || isExcluded(anchor))
-  const absent = request.anchors.filter(anchor => ![anchor, ...Object.values(pairPaths(anchor))].some(file => existsSync(join(root, file))))
-  if (rejected.length > 0 || absent.length > 0) {
+  const absent = request.anchors.filter((anchor) => {
+    const { source, zh, meta } = translationPairPaths(anchor)
+    return ![source, zh, meta].some(repositoryFileExists)
+  })
+  if (rejected.length > 0 || (!indexMode && absent.length > 0)) {
     for (const anchor of rejected) {
       console.error(`verify-translation-pairing: ${anchor} is not an in-scope pair (excluded or outside the documentation corpus; see docs/i18n/README.md)`)
     }
@@ -132,20 +133,25 @@ if (writeMode) {
   let written = 0
   for (const source of sources) {
     if (isExcluded(source)) continue
-    const { zh, meta } = pairPaths(source)
-    if (!existsSync(join(root, source)) || !existsSync(join(root, zh))) {
+    const paths = translationPairPaths(source)
+    const { zh, meta } = paths
+    if (!repositoryFileExists(source) || !repositoryFileExists(zh)) {
       if (request.scope === 'pairs') {
-        console.error(`verify-translation-pairing: cannot record ${source}: missing ${existsSync(join(root, source)) ? zh : source}`)
+        console.error(`verify-translation-pairing: cannot record ${source}: missing ${repositoryFileExists(source) ? zh : source}`)
         process.exit(2)
       }
       continue
     }
-    const sourceContent = readFileSync(join(root, source))
-    const zhContent = readFileSync(join(root, zh))
+    const sourceContent = readRepositoryFile(source)
+    const zhContent = readRepositoryFile(zh)
+    if (sourceContent === undefined || zhContent === undefined) throw new Error(`${source}: complete pair became unreadable`)
     // A consistency record is also a recovery pointer for the briefing
     // generator. Persist both snapshots even when the sidecar text is already
     // current, because the bytes may exist only in this working tree.
-    const record = renderMeta(source, storeGitBlob(root, sourceContent), zh, storeGitBlob(root, zhContent))
+    const record = renderTranslationPairingRecord(paths, {
+      sourceHash: storeGitBlob(root, sourceContent),
+      zhHash: storeGitBlob(root, zhContent),
+    })
     if (existsSync(join(root, meta)) && readFileSync(join(root, meta), 'utf8') === record) continue
     writeFileSync(join(root, meta), record)
     console.log(`verify-translation-pairing: recorded ${meta}`)
@@ -161,8 +167,8 @@ const state = new Map<string, 'ok' | 'out-of-sync' | 'missing'>()
 // 1. Every discovered, non-excluded source merges bilingual.
 for (const source of sources) {
   if (isExcluded(source)) continue
-  const { zh } = pairPaths(source)
-  if (!existsSync(join(root, zh))) {
+  const { zh } = translationPairPaths(source)
+  if (!repositoryFileExists(zh)) {
     errors.push(`${source}: in-scope documentation must merge bilingual (docs/i18n/README.md); add the counterpart and record the pair`)
     state.set(source, 'missing')
   }
@@ -176,8 +182,13 @@ for (const zh of translations) pairAnchors.add(zh.replace(/\.zh\.md$/, '.md'))
 for (const meta of metas) pairAnchors.add(meta.replace(/\.i18n\.yaml$/, '.md'))
 
 for (const source of [...pairAnchors].sort()) {
-  const { zh, meta } = pairPaths(source)
-  const have = { source: existsSync(join(root, source)), zh: existsSync(join(root, zh)), meta: existsSync(join(root, meta)) }
+  const paths = translationPairPaths(source)
+  const { zh, meta } = paths
+  const have = {
+    source: repositoryFileExists(source),
+    zh: repositoryFileExists(zh),
+    meta: repositoryFileExists(meta),
+  }
 
   if (isExcluded(source)) {
     if (have.zh) errors.push(`${zh}: ${source} is excluded from pairing (generated or bilingual-by-construction); this translation must not exist`)
@@ -190,10 +201,14 @@ for (const source of [...pairAnchors].sort()) {
     continue
   }
 
-  const sourceContent = readFileSync(join(root, source))
-  const zhContent = readFileSync(join(root, zh))
-  const record = parseMeta(readFileSync(join(root, meta), 'utf8'))
-  if (!record || record.size !== 2 || !record.has(basename(source)) || !record.has(basename(zh))) {
+  const sourceContent = readRepositoryFile(source)
+  const zhContent = readRepositoryFile(zh)
+  const metaContent = readRepositoryFile(meta)
+  if (sourceContent === undefined || zhContent === undefined || metaContent === undefined) {
+    throw new Error(`${source}: complete pair became unreadable`)
+  }
+  const record = parseTranslationPairingRecord(metaContent.toString('utf8'), paths)
+  if (record === undefined) {
     errors.push(`${meta}: malformed consistency record (expected exactly \`${basename(source)}: <40-hex>\` and \`${basename(zh)}: <40-hex>\`)`)
     continue
   }
@@ -201,7 +216,8 @@ for (const source of [...pairAnchors].sort()) {
   let consistent = true
   for (const [file, content] of [[source, sourceContent], [zh, zhContent]] as const) {
     const current = gitBlobHash(content)
-    if (record.get(basename(file)) !== current) {
+    const recorded = file === source ? record.sourceHash : record.zhHash
+    if (recorded !== current) {
       errors.push(`${file}: out of sync — content no longer matches the pair's last confirmed-consistent state in ${meta} (bring the other side along, then re-record with --write)`)
       consistent = false
     }
@@ -247,7 +263,7 @@ if (listMode) {
 
 if (errors.length === 0) {
   console.log(request.scope === 'pairs'
-    ? `verify-translation-pairing: ${pairAnchors.size} named pair(s) consistent; the corpus-wide check still runs in doc-sync.`
+    ? `verify-translation-pairing: ${pairAnchors.size} named ${indexMode ? 'staged ' : ''}pair(s) consistent; the corpus-wide check still runs in doc-sync.`
     : `verify-translation-pairing: ${pairAnchors.size} pair(s) checked across all in-scope documentation, all consistent.`)
   process.exit(0)
 }