Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 妻 | tsuma | [t͡sɨma̠] (narrow) | |
| 家内 | kanai | [ka̠na̠i] (narrow) [ja̠ɯ̟t͡ɕi] (narrow) |
|
| ワイフ | waifu | [β̞a̠iɸɯ̟] (narrow) | |
| 奥さん | okusan | [o̞kɯ̟̊sã̠ɴ] (narrow) | |
| 奥様 | okusama | [o̞kɯ̟̊sa̠ma̠] (narrow) | honorific |
| 夫人 | fujin | [ɸɯ̟ʑĩɴ] (narrow) [bɯ̟ɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) |
humble |
| ご夫人 | go-fujin | [ɡo̞ɸɯ̟ʑĩɴ] (narrow) | honorific |
Japanese uses different terms for a wife depending on whether you are talking about your own wife or someone else's, and the level of politeness required.
Which one should you use?
When speaking about your own wife to others, use the neutral term 妻. To refer to someone else's wife, use the polite term 奥さん or the highly respectful honorific 奥様. For your own wife, you may also use the polite formal term 妻 or the traditional term 家内. The loanword ワイフ is used occasionally in modern, casual contexts and carries a slightly Westernized or trendy nuance.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
妻 is a formal and neutral way to refer to your own wife. 家内 is a traditional, somewhat old-fashioned and humble way for a man to refer to his own wife. For someone else's wife, 奥さん is a polite option, while 奥様 is a highly respectful honorific used in formal contexts. 夫人 and ご夫人 are humble and honorific forms respectively. ワイフ is a casual loanword.
How do you pronounce it?
tsuma
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 奥さん to refer to your own wife when speaking to others. Doing so makes it sound as if you are referring to someone else's wife.
Did you know?
- The word 妻 (tsuma) originally meant 'side' or 'edge', referring to the person standing by one's side. It was once used for both husbands and wives, but today it refers only to a wife.
- The traditional term for one's own wife, 家内 (kanai), literally translates to 'inside the house'.
- The formal term 夫人 (fujin) is often used in high-society contexts or to refer to the wife of a person of high status, similar to the English 'lady'.
Examples in context
- 妻が怖くて。I'm afraid of my wife.This sentence shows how to express being afraid of your wife using 妻.Tatoeba #12662521 by small_snow, translation #10031825 by ddnktr
- 妻は潔癖症だ。My wife is obsessed with cleanliness.This sentence uses 妻 to describe a wife's obsession with cleanliness.Tatoeba #2250547 by tommy_san, translation #2250549 by CK
- 妻は癌で死んだ。My wife died of cancer.This sentence uses 妻 to state that a wife has passed away.Tatoeba #170345 by bunbuku, translation #244138 by CK
- Watashi no tsuma wa totemo yasashii desu. (私の妻はとても優しいです。)My wife is very kind.
- Kanai no shumi wa piano o hiku koto desu. (家内の趣味はピアノを弾くことです。)My wife's hobby is playing the piano.
- Aitsu no tsuma wa itsumo egao de iru na. (あいつの妻はいつも笑顔でいるな。)His wife always has a smile on her face.
- Ore no kanai wa ryouri ga jouzu da. (俺のかないは料理が上手だ。)My wife is skilled at cooking.
- 299 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are talking about their family members.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんは、奥さんとどこかに行きましたか？Hiroto-san wa, okusan to dokoka ni ikimashita ka?Hiroto, did you go somewhere with your wife?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、妻と映画館へ行きました。Hai, tsuma to eigakan e ikimashita.Yes, I went to the movie theater with my wife.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。何を見たんですか？Ii desu ne. Nani o mita n desu ka?That's nice. What did you watch?
- 大翔 Hiroto妻が勧めてくれたアニメ映画です。Tsuma ga susumete kureta anime eiga desu.It was an anime movie my wife recommended.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries 妻, 家内, ワイフ, 奥さん, 奥様, 夫人, ご夫人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ワイフ, 奥さん, 妻, 家内, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
