夫 means “husband”

おっと · otto

Also: man

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おっと, それ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

フ, フウ, ブ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 4 · 4 strokes

The story

A person (大) with a hairpin (一) marking adulthood: in ancient Japan, the coming-of-age ceremony crowned a young man as ready for marriage. 夫 is just four strokes: simple, steady, the quiet pillar of the household.

Used in 夫婦 (fuufu, married couple), 夫人 (fujin, wife/Mrs.), and 丈夫 (joubu, sturdy)

Where it comes from

Ideographic (指事文字): A person with a hairpin marking adulthood.

In ancient China, when a young man came of age, he received a ceremonial hairpin placed in his topknot. The character shows a person (大) with that pin (一) on top: a man who has crossed into adulthood and can now marry.

To remember it: A big (大) person with a hairpin (一) on top: the husband!

Words with 夫

• 夫婦 (ふうふ, fuufu): married couple

Example sentences

• 夫は料理が上手です。 My husband is good at cooking.
• 夫婦で散歩しました。 The married couple took a walk.

Kanji that look like 夫

• 天 (heaven/sky): 夫 has the horizontal line lower: a hairpin on a person; 天 has it at the very top: the sky above everything
• 大 (big): 夫 adds a line above 大: the hairpin marking adulthood

More from Family & Home

• 妻 wife
• 孫 grandchild
• 婚 marriage
• 育 raise
• 戸 door
• 寝 sleep
• 窓 window
• 屋 roof
• 床 floor
• 壁 wall
• 畳 tatami mat
• 室 room

Learn 夫 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.