奥さん（おくさん、okusan）
- wife

The word 奥さん奥さん (おくさん) primarily means "wife" or "your wife" (when referring to someone else's wife). It is a polite and respectful term, especially when addressing someone or speaking about a married woman. It is also often used when referring to the woman of the household.

⚫︎ 山田さんの奥さんはとても親切です。 Translation: Yamada-san's wife is very kind. ⚫︎ 奥さんはお元気ですか？ Translation: How is your wife doing? (Are you doing well, Mrs./Your wife?) ⚫︎ 田中さんの奥さん奥さんは、料理が得意です。 Translation: Tanaka-san's wife is good at cooking.

⚫︎ Use 奥さん奥さん when you are: ⚫︎ Referring to someone else's wife (e.g., your friend's wife, a colleague's wife). ⚫︎ Addressing a woman who is married. ⚫︎ Speaking formally or politely. ⚫︎ Avoid using 奥さん奥さん when: ⚫︎ Talking about your own wife (use 妻 or 家内 instead). ⚫︎ Speaking informally to a close friend or family member (more casual terms may be appropriate). ⚫︎ Talking about a single woman.

⚫︎ 奥さん奥さん is typically written in hiragana as おくさん. ⚫︎ The kanji form is 奥さん, which is the most common way to write it. The kanji 奥 means "inner" or "interior," and さん is a honorific title. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ 奥様 (おくさま): A more formal and respectful term for "wife." ⚫︎ 妻 (つま): "Wife" (used to refer to one's own wife). ⚫︎ 家内 (かない): "Wife" (another polite term for one's own wife).

⚫︎ There isn't a direct antonym. You would use different words based on the context, such as 独身 (どくしん - single) if you are referring to a single woman.

田中さんの奥さん奥さんは、いつも笑顔で素敵です。 ・Translation: Tanaka-san's wife always has a beautiful smile. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the wife of Mr. Tanaka, using the polite term 奥さん奥さん to show respect.

すみません、お奥さん奥さんはどちらにいらっしゃいますか？ ・Translation: Excuse me, where is your wife? ・Explanation: This sentence politely asks about someone else's wife, using 奥さん奥さん to show respect and politeness.

The word 奥さん is derived from the kanji 奥, which originally means "inner" or "interior" and refers to the inner part of a house. In the context of the word's development, it began to be used for the wife because she often stayed within the house (inside). さん is a polite honorific suffix.