Japanese word

妻

Pronunciation

Romajitsuma

Meaning

  • nounwife

Example

私の妻です。watashi no tsuma de su

She is my wife.

Illustration for 妻 (wife)

More examples

来週の休みには、妻と近くの公園へ行きます。rai shū no yasu mi ni wa tsuma to chika ku no kō en e i ki ma su

On my day off next week, I will go to a nearby park with my wife.

Core concept

Presents a married woman as the spouse connected to a particular partner and household.

Common phrases

  • 妻と話すtsuma to hana su

    talk with one's wife

  • 妻の誕生日tsuma no tan jō hi

    wife's birthday

  • 妻を紹介するtsuma o shō kai su ru

    introduce one's wife

Similar words

奥さんokusan: A polite term for another person's wife.
家内kanai: A modest term for referring to one's own wife.
女房nyōbō: An informal term for one's wife.

Definition in Japanese

婚姻関係にある女性。kon in kan kei ni a ru jo sei

Word origin

妻 (tsuma, "wife") is a native Japanese word that continues Old Japanese tuma, which referred to a spouse or marital partner before modern usage became more specific.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 妻 (tsuma) is a direct way to refer to one's own wife, while speakers often use different expressions for another person's wife.

Opposites

Word lists with this word