妻
[t͡sɨma̠]
The English phrase "my wife" is translated into Japanese as 妻.
In Japanese, the possessive "my" is often omitted because the context of the speaker's relationship is implied by the word 妻. A married man uses this term to refer to his female spouse.
Which one should you use?
While 妻 is a neutral and formal way to refer to a spouse, the word 嫁 is a more colloquial option. Note that 嫁 can also mean "daughter-in-law" depending on the context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
妻 is a formal and humble way for a man to refer to his own wife when speaking to others. In contrast, 嫁 is a more colloquial and sometimes slightly less formal term.
Did you know?
- While 妻 is the standard term, some Japanese husbands use the word 家内, which literally means 'inside the house'.
- In ancient times, 妻 was a gender-neutral term used to refer to either a husband or a wife.
- The word 妻 functions as a 'humble' term, which means it is used specifically to lower one's own status when speaking to someone of higher social standing.
Examples in context
- 妻が怖くて。I'm afraid of my wife.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling regarding 妻.Tatoeba #12662521 by small_snow, translation #10031825 by ddnktr
- 妻は潔癖症だ。My wife is obsessed with cleanliness.This sentence is useful for describing a trait of 妻.Tatoeba #2250547 by tommy_san, translation #2250549 by CK
- 妻は癌で死んだ。My wife died of cancer.This sentence is useful for stating a past event involving 妻.Tatoeba #170345 by bunbuku, translation #244138 by CK
- 私の妻は医者です。My wife is a doctor.
- 今日、妻とデートする予定です。I have plans to go on a date with my wife today.
- 家内は私の一番の理解者です。My wife is my greatest supporter.
- 101 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking about their families in the office.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんの奥様は元気ですか？Ren-san no okusama wa genki desu ka?Is your wife doing well, Ren?
- 蓮 Renはい、妻はとても元気です。Hai, tsuma wa totemo genki desu.Yes, my wife is very well.
- 陽葵 Himariそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That is good to hear.
- 蓮 Renありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 妻, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 妻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
