夫妻|ふさいfusai[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounhusband and wife; married couplesomewhat formal; not used for one's own family
   ジョーンズ夫妻ふさいは娘むすめを愛あいしている。↗

   The Joneses love their daughter.

• Synonym夫婦ふうふWrittenRead 「めおと」, this has an old-fashioned ring and appears mostly in paired items like 「夫婦茶碗」. 「夫妻」 typically refers to someone else's couple.
• Related妹背いもせWrittenArchaic, poetic word for a couple — or for siblings. Found mainly in waka; in everyday speech say 「夫婦」.
• Related伉儷こうれいWrittenWritten, elegant term for a married couple, found in kanbun-style prose. In daily conversation say 「夫婦」.
• Related夫と妻NeutralSimply 'husband and wife' spelled out — the meaning is the same. 「夫妻」 is a Sino-Japanese compound and is the usual choice when referring to another couple.

Use 「夫妻」 when referring to another couple, as in 「田中夫妻」; for couples in general say 「夫婦（ふうふ）」. 「めおと」 is old-fashioned and mostly describes paired items; 「妹背」 and 「伉儷」 are literary.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 夫おっとと妻つま。