Word
夫人
Meaning in Englishwife, Mrs, madam
Animated kanji stroke order
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)