夫妇

• Pinyin: fū fù
• Hanzi breakdown: 夫 = pictograph of a man with a hairpin signifying adulthood; 妇 = 女 (woman) + 彐 — a married woman

Meaning

Married couple; husband and wife. A formal term for a pair joined in marriage.

More formal than 夫妻 and often used in official, literary, or news contexts. Commonly preceded by a surname (王先生夫妇) or a descriptor (年轻夫妇, 老夫妇). Not typically used in casual daily conversation.

Examples

1. 那对夫妇已经结婚三十年了。 That couple has been married for thirty years.
2. 这对年轻夫妇刚搬到我们小区。 This young couple just moved into our neighbourhood.
3. 王先生夫妇今天一起来参加活动。 Mr. and Mrs. Wang came together to attend the event today.

Usage Guide

Context: formal address, news

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 这对夫妇一起创办了这家公司。(This couple founded this company together.)
• 李先生夫妇邀请我们去他们家做客。(Mr. and Mrs. Li invited us to visit their home.)

Don't Say

• 我和我夫妇去吃饭了 (Don't use 夫妇 to refer to your own spouse — use 妻子, 丈夫, or 老婆/老公; 夫妇 refers to a couple as a unit, typically in third person)

Origin & History

夫 (husband/man) + 妇 (married woman). A formal compound for a married pair, with roots in classical Chinese social terminology.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal