配偶者（はいぐうしゃ、haiguusha）
- spouse

The Japanese word 配偶者 配偶者 means "spouse," "husband," or "wife." It's a formal and general term used to refer to one's marital partner. It's gender-neutral and can be used for both a husband and a wife. The word implies a legally recognized marriage.

⚫︎私の配偶者 Translation: My spouse ⚫︎配偶者のビザを申請する。 Translation: Apply for my spouse's visa. ⚫︎ 彼は配偶者にとても優しかった。 Translation: He was very kind to his spouse.

⚫︎ 配偶者 is used in formal situations, such as official documents, legal contexts, or when speaking politely about one's husband or wife. ⚫︎ It's often used when talking to someone you don't know well or in professional settings. ⚫︎ While not impolite to use in informal settings, other words might be more common or natural, depending on the context. ⚫︎ It is always safe to use when the relationship to the "spouse" has to be very clear.

⚫︎ The word is typically written with the kanji 配偶者. ⚫︎ The reading is はいぐうしゃ in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no variations in okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ 夫（ototo): husband ⚫︎ 妻（tsuma): wife ⚫︎ 旦那（danna): husband (informal) ⚫︎ 奥さん（okusan): wife (used when referring to someone else's wife) ⚫︎ 主人（shujin): husband (used by the wife) ⚫︎ 家内（kanai): wife (used by the husband) ⚫︎ パートナー（pātonā): partner (can be used for a spouse, especially in same-sex relationships or when marital status isn't emphasized.)

⚫︎ This word itself doesn't have a direct antonym. The opposite of having a spouse would be "single" or "unmarried."

配偶者の死亡証明書が必要ですか？ ・Translation: Do you need the death certificate of your spouse? ・Explanation: This sentence uses 配偶者 in a legal context, demonstrating its formal and precise usage.

配偶者の会社の人たちと食事に行きました。 ・Translation: I went to dinner with my spouse's colleagues. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 配偶者 is used to clearly identify a marital relationship in a social context.

⚫︎ 配偶: This part of the word means "mate," "spouse," or "to pair." It carries the connotation of a couple being matched or paired. ⚫︎ 者: This suffix means "person" or "one." Therefore, 配偶者 literally means "a person who is a spouse" or "spouse-person." ⚫︎ The combination of these kanji creates a clear and precise term for "spouse".