How to say "son-in-law" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 養子ようしnounReally means an adopted child, usually male; as 'son-in-law' it refers to one who is also an adopted son of the family. For an ordinary son-in-law, this is not the word you want.妻は養子をとりたかった。↗My wife wanted to adopt a child.
- 娘婿むすめむこnounA transparent word meaning the husband of one's daughter; use it when you want to make that relationship explicit, as when speaking of your own daughter's husband.
- 女婿じょせいnounA kanji compound for the husband of one's daughter, expressing the same relationship as 娘婿; use either when you mean your daughter's husband.
- 婿むこnounThe short, general word for one's son-in-law, the husband of one's daughter; it can also mean a bridegroom, which the context makes clear.
Use 婿 or 娘婿 for an ordinary son-in-law — your daughter's husband; 女婿 is a kanji compound with the same meaning, and 養子 fits only a son-in-law who is also an adopted son.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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