The Meaning of okusan [奥さん] In Japanese

奥さん
おくさん
Romaji: okusan N5

What does 奥さん mean?

Translation and Meaning

wife, Mrs.

Definition

What does 奥さん mean? It is a polite term used to refer to a married woman, typically the wife of the person being talked about; it conveys respect and social distance in conversation, and is commonly used when addressing or speaking about someone else’s wife.

Type

noun (honorific)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • The wife of someone; a courteous way to refer to a married woman in conversation
  • A polite way to mention someone’s wife when addressing or speaking about her to others
  • In casual families, you may hear うちの奥さん to refer to one’s own wife, though more direct terms like 妻 or 家内 are also common

Etymology

奥 (oku) denotes interior or depth, and さん is a common honorific suffix derived from さま; together they form a polite noun for a married woman, with the semantic shift from a spatial interior to a social interior (the person who belongs to the household).

Composition

  • 奥: inner, interior; deep
  • さん: polite suffix; kana

Usage

Used in polite or semi-formal conversation to refer to someone else’s wife or to discuss a wife in the third person. It is common in everyday conversation but not typically used to refer to one’s own wife in a formal context; in very formal situations 奥様 is preferred.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 奥 as the inner layer of a house; adding さん as a polite title turns the inner person of the household into a respectful reference to the wife.

Variations

  • 妻 (tsuma) — wife; neutral/direct
  • 家内 (kanai) — one’s wife; formal/old-fashioned
  • おくさん (okusan) — polite form of 奥さん for others in casual speech

Example Phrases

  • 私の奥さんは今、買い物に行っています。
    Watashi no okusan wa ima, kaimono ni itte imasu.
    My wife is going shopping now.
    Lista:
    • 私の (watashi no) – my
    • 奥さん (okusan) – wife
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 今 (ima) – now
    • 買い物 (kaimono) – shopping
    • に (ni) – to
    • 行っています (itte imasu) – is going
    Uses 「奥さん」 as ‘wife’; here it is possessed by 「私の」 → ‘my wife’. 「は」 marks the topic; 「行っています」 expresses ongoing action.
奥さん