you (archaic polite, to one's spouse); dear
Archaic polite term of address used by a person to refer to their spouse or partner. Not used in modern Japanese; found only in historical or literary contexts.
In old documents, the address 妻の命 can be seen.
Archaic polite term for one's spouse; the kanji 妻の命 is the standard historical spelling.
Alternate kanji form using 夫; both forms are archaic and rarely encountered in modern Japanese.
Compound of 妻 (tsuma, 'spouse') + の (no, possessive particle) + 命 (mikoto, honorific suffix for gods or nobles). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects an archaic honorific form of address.