夫人

• Reading: ふじん
• Romaji: fujin
• Kanji breakdown: 夫 (fu/otto) — husband; 人 (jin/hito) — person
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.dʑiɴ/

Meaning

Wife; Mrs; madam. A respectful term for someone's wife.

A formal noun used to refer to another person's wife with respect. Commonly used as a suffix: 大使夫人 (taishi fujin, ambassador's wife), 社長夫人 (shachou fujin, company president's wife). More formal than 奥さん (okusan) and carries a dignified, high-society nuance. Also used as a title equivalent to Mrs/Madam.

Examples

1. 社長夫人がパーティーに出席された。 The company president's wife attended the party.
2. 田中夫人にお礼の手紙を書いた。 I wrote a thank-you letter to Mrs. Tanaka.
3. 大使夫人は日本語がとてもお上手だ。 The ambassador's wife speaks Japanese very well.

Usage Guide

Context: formal events, titles, correspondence

Tone: respectful

Origin & History

Compound of 夫 (fu, husband) and 人 (jin, person). Originally meant 'the person of the husband' — the wife, especially of a distinguished man.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: Adults

Social background: Upper class