奥さん

• Reading: おくさん
• Romaji: okusan
• Kanji breakdown: 奥 (oku) — inner, deep, interior
• Pronunciation: /o.kɯ.saɴ/

Meaning

Wife; someone else's wife; married lady; madam. A polite term for another person's wife.

Used to refer to someone else's wife, never your own. For your own wife, use 妻 (tsuma) in polite contexts or 家内 (kanai) in some traditional settings. 奥さん can also be used to address a married woman directly, similar to 'Mrs.' or 'ma'am.'

Examples

1. 田中さんの奥さんはとても親切です。 Mr. Tanaka's wife is very kind.
2. 奥さんはお元気ですか。 How is your wife doing?
3. 隣の奥さんにあいさつしました。 I greeted the lady next door.

Usage Guide

Context: family, social conversation, daily life

Tone: polite

Origin & History

From 奥 (oku, 'inner/deep') with the honorific さん. Historically, wives occupied the inner chambers of the house, so 奥 came to mean 'wife' by association with the interior.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal