夫妻
fūqī
The English phrase 'husband and wife' is translated into Chinese as 夫妻 (fūqī). Wiktionary also lists 夫婦 / 夫妇 (fūfù) and 眷屬 / 眷属 (juànshǔ).
Meaning: husband and wife (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 夫妻 | fūqī |
| 夫婦 / 夫妇 | fūfù |
| 眷屬 / 眷属 | juànshǔ |
| 公母倆 / 公母俩 | gōngmuliǎ |
What does it mean word for word?
The word 夫妻 is composed of 夫 (husband) and 妻 (wife).
Which one should you use?
夫妻 is the most common and standard way to say 'husband and wife' in modern Mandarin. The form 夫妇 is more formal and is often found in written contexts or when referring to a couple in a more respectful or official manner. The form 公母俩 is a colloquial, sometimes slightly humorous or blunt way to refer to a husband and wife, meaning 'the two of them'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 公母俩 is often used in Northern China.
How do you pronounce it?
fūqī
Did you know?
- In the term 夫妻, the character 妻 originally depicted a woman kneeling, which reflects ancient social hierarchies and traditional gender roles.
- The phrase 公母俩 literally translates to 'the male and female two', a term more commonly used for animals than humans.
- The phrase 夫妻 is used in the name of the famous 'Husband and Wife Lungmen' rock formations in Taiwan, where nature is personified as a married couple.
Examples in context
- 週末我們全家去吃四川菜，點了麻婆豆腐和夫妻肺片。On the weekend, our whole family went to eat Sichuan food and ordered mapo tofu and husband-and-wife lung slices.This sentence shows how 夫妻 appears in the name of a traditional Sichuan dish.Tatoeba #13587150 by LeviHighway, translation #13587202 by LeviHighway
- 真的希望他们做夫妻白头偕劳。I really hope they can live happily ever after as husband and wife.This sentence uses 夫妻 to express a wish for a couple's long-lasting happiness.Tatoeba #899414 by U2FS, translation #10198203 by pan176
- 他是我的丈夫。He is my husband.
- 她是我的妻子。She is my wife.
- 这是我的老公。This is my husband.
- 他们两口子真是模范夫妻。Tāmen liǎngkǒuzi zhēnshì mófàn fūqī.The two of them are truly a model husband and wife.
Example conversation
Junjie and Zihan are talking about their neighbors.
- 俊杰 Junjie你认识住在隔壁的那对夫妻吗？Nǐ rènshi zhù zài gébì de nà duì fūqī ma?Do you know the husband and wife living next door?
- 梓涵 Zihan不认识，他们刚搬过来不久。Bù rènshi, tāmen gāng bān guòlái bùjiǔ.No, they just moved here not long ago.
- 俊杰 Junjie他们看起来非常年轻。Tāmen kàn qǐlái fēicháng niánqīng.They look very young.
- 梓涵 Zihan我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “husband and wife” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 夫妻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
