ご主人
go-shujin[ɡo̞ɕɨʑĩɴ]
In Japanese, "your husband" is referred to as ご主人 (go-shujin).
ご主人 is a polite way to refer to the husband of the person you are speaking to. It can also be used to refer to the owner of a shop or establishment.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the honorific prefix ご and 主人, which literally means master or head of a household.
Which one should you use?
While ご主人 is the standard polite way to refer to someone else's husband, 旦那 is a more colloquial and informal way to say it. When speaking about your own husband to others, you should use 夫 instead of ご主人 to avoid sounding boastful or impolite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 主人 is more commonly used in the Kansai region of Japan to mean "your husband".
How do you pronounce it?
go-shujin
Did you know?
- The word 旦那 (danna), often used informally for 'husband', originally referred to a patron or a person of high social standing in a relationship with a priest or teacher.
- Using ご主人 to describe your own husband is considered a social faux pas because the honorific prefix ご elevates the person. In Japanese culture, you generally lower your own status and family to show respect to others.
- In very traditional or formal settings, a wife might refer to her husband as 主人, which literally translates to 'master'. This reflects the historical structure of the Japanese household where the head of the house held ultimate authority.
Examples in context
- ご主人は幸せ者だなぁ。Your husband is a lucky man.This sentence illustrates the use of ご主人 to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #11030005 by small_snow, translation #11029012 by maaster
- ご主人もボストンの出身なんですか？Is your husband also from Boston?This sentence uses ご主人 to ask about a person's husband's place of origin.Tatoeba #8762223 by bunbuku, translation #5591301 by CK
- ご主人には精密検査をお勧めします。I recommend a thorough checkup for your husband.This sentence uses ご主人 when making a recommendation for a person's husband.Tatoeba #11378696 by bunbuku, translation #54446 by CK
- 夫はどこですか？Where is your husband?
- あなたの夫はとても優しいですね。Your husband is very kind.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are chatting about their weekend plans.
- 美咲 Misakiご主人はお元気ですか？Goshujin wa ogenki desu ka?Is your husband doing well?
- 蓮 Renはい、とても元気です。Hai, totemo genki desu.Yes, he is very well.
- 美咲 Misakiご主人と一緒に旅行に行きたいですね。Goshujin to issho ni ryokou ni ikitai desu ne.I'd like to go on a trip with your husband.
- 蓮 Renぜひ誘ってください。Zehi sasotte kudasai.Please do invite him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ご主人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
