HSK · Level 32
135 words
Chinese word
夫人
Pronunciation
Pinyinfū rén
Meaning
- nounwife
Example
那位夫人看起来很亲切。nà wèi fū rén kàn qǐ lái hěn qīn qiè
That married woman seems very kind.
More examples
他的夫人在医院工作。tā de fū rén zài yī yuàn gōng zuò
His wife works at a hospital.
Core concept
A respectful public title that places a married woman in a recognized role through her connection to a husband or her social standing.
Common phrases
他的夫人tā de fū rén
his wife
那位夫人nà wèi fū rén
that wife
Similar words
太太tài tài: An ordinary term for a married woman used at home and in daily conversation.
老婆lǎo pó: A warm, casual term for one's wife in familiar speech.
妻qī: A formal term for a person's wife used in writing or other serious situations.
Definition in Chinese
对他人的妻子或具有一定社会地位的已婚女性的正式称呼，多出现在介绍、新闻报道或礼仪场合。duì tā rén de qī zǐ huò jù yǒu yí dìng shè huì dì wèi de yǐ hūn nǚ xìng de zhèng shì chēng hū duō chū xiàn zài jiè shào xīn wén bào dào huò lǐ yí chǎng hé
Word origin
夫 (fū, "husband") + 人 (rén, "person") forms 夫人 (fūrén, "Madam"), a compound that developed from referring respectfully to a man's wife into a formal title for a married woman.
Usage tips
- Unlike the neutral English word "wife," this term often signals ceremony, public mention, or social status, so it is less natural in relaxed conversation.
Other meanings
- madamnoun
- ladynoun
Opposites
- 丈夫zhàng fūhusbandnoun