尊夫人 (zūn fū rén) — (polite) your wife

Definition

A polite, honorific way to say 'your wife' when speaking TO someone about their spouse — far more formal and respectful than the plain 妻子. Use it in writing or formal address; never use it about yourself.

noun
(polite) your wife
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 尊夫人？
    Qǐng wèn zūn fū rén guì xìng?
    May I ask your wife's surname?
  • 尊夫人。
    Zuó tiān wǒ zài yàn huì shàng jiàn dào le zūn fū rén.
    Yesterday I met your esteemed wife at the banquet.
  • 尊夫人。
    Qǐng dài wǒ xiàng zūn fū rén wèn hǎo.
    Please give my regards to your wife.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

尊zūnhonorable
夫人wife
夫fūhusband人rénperson
偏正Modifier + head

尊 conveys honor, and 夫人 names the wife.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape combines 寸 (hand) and 酋 (wine), showing a hand offering a wine vessel to express respect; some forms show two hands instead.

Open 尊 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

夫 originally drew a man. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write a pronoun, so the picture and the pronoun meaning are unrelated.

Open 夫 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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