Japanese Conversation · Level 94
60 words
Japanese word
家内
Pronunciation
Romajikanai
Meaning
- nounwife
Example
家内は今、買い物に出ています。ka nai wa ima ka i mono ni de te i ma su
My wife is out shopping now.
More examples
週末は家内と近所の公園を散歩します。shū matsu wa ka nai to kin jo no kō en o san po shi ma su
My wife and I take a walk in a nearby park on weekends.
Core concept
Presents one's wife through the traditional idea of the person within the household rather than through a direct personal label.
Common phrases
うちの家内u chi no ka nai
my wife
家内に相談するka nai ni sō dan su ru
consult one's wife
家内に伝えるka nai ni tsuta e ru
tell one's wife
Similar words
妻tsuma: A married woman in relation to her spouse.
奥さんokusan: A polite term for another person's wife or for one's own wife in conversation.
女房nyōbō: A familiar term for a person's wife, often used in casual speech.
Definition in Japanese
自分の妻を指す、やや古風でへりくだった語。ji bun no tsuma o sa su ya ya ko fū de he ri ku da tta go
Word origin
家内 (kanai) is formed from 家 (ka, "house") and 内 (nai, "inside"), and its literal sense of "inside the house" developed into a term for one's wife.
Usage tips
- The word 家内 (kanai) also means "inside the house" in expressions such as 家内安全 (kanai anzen), where it does not mean wife.