also: めおとようし
noun
adoption of a married couple; married couple adopted into a family
A legal or historical practice where a married couple is adopted together, often to continue a family line or business. The term can refer to the act of adoption or the couple themselves.
江戸時代には、家を存続させるために夫婦養子が行われることがあった。
In the Edo period, adopting a married couple was sometimes done to keep a family line going.
この家の夫婦養子は、先代の娘とその夫だった。
The married couple adopted into this family were the previous head's daughter and her husband.