夫婦

• Reading: ふうふ
• Romaji: fuufu
• Kanji breakdown: 夫 (fu/otto) — husband; 婦 (fu) — wife, woman
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯː.ɸɯ/

Meaning

Married couple; husband and wife.

A noun referring to a married pair. Common expressions include 夫婦喧嘩 (fuufu genka, marital quarrel) and 夫婦円満 (fuufu enman, marital harmony). Distinguished from カップル (couple, not necessarily married) and 夫妻 (fusai, more formal literary term for married couple).

Examples

1. あの夫婦はいつも仲が良くて羨ましい。 That couple always gets along so well — I'm envious.
2. 結婚して十年になるが、夫婦で旅行するのが楽しみだ。 We've been married for ten years, and traveling together as a couple is still something we look forward to.
3. 隣の夫婦が引っ越しの挨拶に来てくれた。 The couple next door came over to greet us after moving in.

Usage Guide

Context: family, relationships, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 夫 (fu, husband) and 婦 (fu, wife). The characters together represent the married pair, each contributing their respective role.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal