► 名詞
奥さん [(1)おくさん] [coll] meaning: wife rank: 1
☆ 奥さんはお元気ですか？ ⇨ Is your wife doing well? (☛ The most common term to address someone else’s wife. NOT used to address your own wife)
夫人 [ふじん] [liter] meaning: wife rank: 1
☆ 米国大統領夫人 ⇨ The wife of the US president (☛ Used only as a title)
☆ 鈴木夫人 ⇨ Mrs. Suzuki (☛ Used only as a title)
奥様 [(1)おくさま] [coll] [respect] meaning: wife rank: 2
☆ 奥様はお元気ですか？ ⇨ Is your wife doing well? (☛ A respectful term to address someone else’s wife. Never used to address your own wife (unless being comical or sarcastic))
主婦 [(1)しゅふ] meaning: wife rank: 2
☆ 彼女は家庭の主婦だ ⇨ She is a housewife (☛ A housewife)
妻 [(1)つま] meaning: wife rank: 2
☆ 私の妻 ⇨ My wife (☛ Most technical. However note that it is NEVER used to directly address the wife of the person you are talking to. E.g. you NEVER say 「あなたの妻 = your wife」, even though 「彼の妻 = his wife」is perfectly acceptable)
女房 [(1)にょうぼう] [coll] [男] meaning: wife rank: 2
☆ うちの女房 ⇨ My wife (☛ Colloquially usually only used to refer to your own wife, and a little too casual toward someone else’s wife. In literature used more broadly yet still casually)
御上さん [おかみさん] [coll] [peer] [男] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ 彼の御上さん ⇨ His wife (☛ Usually used by an older man to refer to someone else’s wife)
お嫁さん [およめさん] [coll] [男] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ 彼のお嫁さん ⇨ His wife (☛ Especially a young wife)
家内 [(1)かない] [coll] [polite] [男] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ うちの家内 ⇨ My wife (☛ Used only for one’s own wife. Literally means “one in house”, and can be considered anachronistic)
かみさん [かみさん] [coll] [peer] [男] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ うちのかみさん ⇨ My wife (☛ Usually used by an older man. Note the lack of accents)
人妻 [ひとづま] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ 彼は人妻にちょっかいを出している ⇨ He’s messing with a married woman (☛ Somebody else’s wife)
嫁 [(2)よめ] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ うちの息子の嫁 ⇨ The wife of my son
嫁さん [よめさん] [coll] [peer] [男] meaning: wife rank: 3
☆ うちの嫁さんは料理が旨い ⇨ My wife is a good cook
母ちゃん [(1)かあちゃん] [coll] [humorous] [男] meaning: wife rank: 4
☆ うちの母ちゃん ⇨ My mama, wife (☛ Humorous, or sounds uncouth)
かかあ [(2)かかあ] [coll] [humorous] [男] meaning: wife rank: 4
☆ うちのかかあ ⇨ My wife (☛ Humorous, or sounds like a hillbilly speaking)