奥様(おくさま)

おくさま
noun
(someone else's) wife, madam
formalhonorificfamily
1. wife (polite), madam, Mrs.
A polite and respectful way to refer to someone else's wife. Can also be used as a term of address for a married woman. Not used for one's own wife.
奥様(おくさま)はお元気(げんき)ですか。
Is your wife well?
社長(しゃちょう)の奥様(おくさま)にご挨拶(あいさつ)した。
I greeted the company president's wife.
奥様(おくさま)、こちらにどうぞ。
Madam, this way please.

奥様(おくさま) is the polite/honorific form used when referring to someone else's wife or addressing a married woman respectfully.

Forms

  • 奥様(おくさま): polite/honorific (most respectful)
  • 奥(おく)さん: polite but less formal (everyday use)
  • 奥方(おくがた): very formal, literary

Watch out

奥様(おくさま) and 奥(おく)さん are used only for someone else's wife, never for one's own. To refer to one's own wife, use 妻(つま) (neutral) or 家内(かない) (traditional).

Similar words

Related Words

Synonym: 妻(つま) (wife (neutral, own wife))
Compare: 家内(かない) (my wife)
Compare: 嫁(よめ) (wife, bride)
Related: 奥(おく)さん (wife (someone else's))
general
Added 2026.2.21 11:56 · Revised 2026.10.10 4:21
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