How to say "madam" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers 'madam' itself: a married woman, lady, or housewife. A Western-style way to address or refer to such a woman, as when salon or boutique staff greet a female customer this way.
- 夫人ふじんnoun, noun (suffix)The respectful word for another person's wife, matching 'Mrs' and 'Madam'. Use it to refer politely to someone's wife — a colleague's or an official's, for instance — or to address a married lady.
- 奥様おくさまnounA polite way to refer to 'your wife' or 'his wife' and to address a married lady, as when shop or restaurant staff speak of or to a customer's wife.
- 奥さんおくさんnounA respectful word for someone else's wife — 'your wife' or 'his wife' — also used to address a married lady directly, as when greeting a neighbor or the wife of the family next door.
For the borrowed 'madam' — a married lady or housewife — use 「マダム」; use 夫人 for the respectful 'Mrs' or 'Madam' about someone's wife; 奥様 and 「奥さん」 both cover 'your/his wife' and addressing a married lady.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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