養父母|ようふぼyoufubo[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nounadoptive parents

• Synonym養親ようしんFormalThe legal term for an adoptive parent; can mean one parent or both, and can also refer to whoever actually raised the child. More formal than 「養父母」.
• Related里親さとおやNeutralFoster parents who take in and raise a child, without necessarily going through adoption; also used for people who take in and look after pets.
• Related育ての親そだてのおやNeutralColloquial: the people who actually raised you, as opposed to your 「生みの親」; also used figuratively for a mentor or nurturing figure.
• Related育て親そだておやNeutralSomeone who takes a child in and raises it; same meaning as 「育ての親」 but less often used.
• RelatedフォスターペアレントNeutralA loanword for adults who support disadvantaged children through financial help and the like; they don't necessarily live with or raise the child.
• Antonym実父母NeutralAntonym: one's biological parents, the counterpart of 「養父母」 in an adoption.

For adoptive parents, 「養父母」 is the default. In legal or formal writing use 「養親」; for foster families, where adoption may not be involved, say 「里親」; 「育ての親」 is the colloquial term for those who raised you. 「実父母」 means the opposite: birth parents.

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

1. 養子ようし先さきの父母ふぼ。養父ようふと養母ようぼ。養親ようしん。