未亡人
mibōjin[mʲibo̞ːʑĩɴ]
The English word 'widow' is translated into Japanese as 未亡人 (mibōjin). Wiktionary also lists 寡婦 (yamome) and 後家 (goke).
Meaning: woman whose spouse has died (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 未亡人 | mibōjin | [mʲibo̞ːʑĩɴ] (narrow) [bʲibo̞ːʑĩɴ] (narrow) |
|
| 寡婦 | yamome | [ka̠ɸɯ̟] (narrow) | |
| 後家 | goke | ||
| 空き家 | akiya | [a̠kʲija̠] (narrow) [a̠kʲiːe̞] (narrow) |
dated, slang |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 未亡人 literally means 'one who has not yet died,' which refers to the woman outliving her husband.
Which one should you use?
寡婦 is a technical term used for a widow in official government documents or legal contexts. 後家 is an older term that can carry a derogatory or disrespectful nuance in modern Japanese. 空き家 is a dated slang term for a widow.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
寡婦 is used in formal or legal settings. 後家 can be perceived as derogatory. 空き家 is dated slang.
How do you pronounce it?
mibōjin
Did you know?
- The slang term 空き家 uses the same characters as the common word for 'vacant house' or 'abandoned property'.
- While 未亡人 is a standard translation for 'widow', its literal meaning implies that the woman should have died along with her husband.
- In historical Japanese society, women described as 後家 sometimes enjoyed more autonomy and financial freedom than married women did.
Examples in context
- 夫に死なれた女性は未亡人と呼ばれる。A woman whose husband is dead is called a widow.This sentence is useful for understanding how a woman whose husband is dead is described using 未亡人.Tatoeba #85012 by tommy__san, translation #318701 by CK
- 未亡人とは、夫を亡くした女性のことです。A widow is a woman whose husband has died.This sentence provides a definition of what a widow is using 未亡人.Tatoeba #13430636 by bunbuku, translation #6035386 by RobinvanderVliet
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a neighbor they both know.
- 大翔 Hiroto隣の家の方は、未亡人だそうですよ。Tonari no ie no kata wa, mimōjin da sō desu yo.I heard the person next door is a widow.
- 美咲 Misakiそうなんですね。知りませんでした。Sō nan desu ne. Shirimasen deshita.Is that so? I didn't know that.
- 大翔 Hiroto一人で静かに暮らしているみたいです。Hitori de shizuka ni kurashite iru mitai desu.It seems she is living quietly by herself.
- 美咲 Misakiいつか挨拶しに行きましょう。Itsuka aisatsu shi ni ikimashō.Let's go say hello to her sometime.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “widow” translations and entries 未亡人, 寡婦, 後家, 空き家, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 寡婦, 空き家, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
