かみさん
かみさん
noun
wife (informal)
1.
wife (informal)
An informal, familiar term for one's wife or someone else's wife. Primarily used by men in casual conversation.
かみさんに聞いてみるよ。
I'll ask my wife.
かみさんの手料理が一番うまい。
My wife's home cooking is the best.
うちのかみさんが怒ると怖いから、早く帰らないと。
My wife is scary when she's angry, so I'd better get home early.
USAGE:
Used mainly by middle-aged and older men to refer to their own wife in casual settings. It has a down-to-earth, familiar tone. Not appropriate in formal situations, where 妻 or 家内 would be used instead.
The word comes from 上さん, originally a respectful term for a woman of higher status or the lady of the house.
REGISTER:
Informal and spoken. Common among working-class and older male speakers. Younger men tend to prefer 奥さん (for others' wives) or 妻 (for their own).