The Kanji: 婦 (Fu)
The kanji 婦 means "woman," "wife," or "lady." It combines 女 (woman) with 帚 (broom), traditionally representing a married woman managing household duties. This character specifically refers to adult women, particularly in marital contexts.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 主婦 (shufu) - Housewife
母は主婦です。
"My mother is a housewife."
2. 夫婦 (fūfu) - Married couple
夫婦でレストランに行く。
"Go to a restaurant as a couple."
3. 婦人 (fujin) - Lady
婦人服の売り場
"Women's clothing department"
4. 産婦人科 (sanfujinka) - Obstetrics/gynecology
産婦人科で診察を受ける。
"Receive examination at the OB/GYN."
In summary, 婦 describes women in social roles - from marital status (夫婦) and homemaking (主婦) to general reference (婦人) and medical specialties (産婦人科). It reflects traditional gender roles while remaining essential in modern vocabulary.