Word
夫人
Meaning in Englishwife, Mrs, madam
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
Related sentences
Related sentences
There are no published items in this section yet.
Word context
What it means
What does 夫人 mean? It denotes a married woman and is used as a formal, respectful term for a wife or for addressing a woman in polite contexts. In contemporary Japanese it appears primarily in writing, biographies, or ceremonial language; in casual speech speakers typically use 妻 or 奥さん.
Main meanings
- Formal term for a wife or married woman in written or ceremonial contexts.
- Used as an honorific title for a woman in formal speech, equivalent to madam.
- In historical or ceremonial settings, can refer to a noblewoman or the wife of a high-ranking person.
How to use it
Used in formal writing, biographies, news reporting about individuals, and ceremonial language to refer to a married woman; not common in casual conversation; when referring to one's wife in everyday talk, use 奥さん or 妻; in historical texts it can denote a woman of status.
Variants and close terms
- tsuma — wife (everyday usage)
- okusan — polite/formal address for wife or madam
- fujin — formal/old-fashioned term for a woman; synonymy with 夫人 in certain contexts
Composition
- 夫: husband, male partner
- 人: person
- Together they form a compound that refers to a married woman, especially in formal language
Word class
Noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N3
人物
jinbutsu
person, character, personality
N3
人類
jinrui
humanity, humankind
N3
成人
seijin
adult, grown-up
N3
男の人
otoko no hito
man, male person
N3
大人しい
otonashii
quiet, docile, well-behaved
N3
恋人
koibito
lover, boyfriend, girlfriend
N3
個人
kojin
individual, private person
N3
名人
meijin
master, expert, specialist
N3
友人
yuujin
friend, formal friend
Kanji