noun
Specifically a married woman, often used in formal or written contexts. Not a general term for 'woman'.
彼女は良き妻であり、良き婦でもある。
She is a good wife and also a good married woman.
noun
A somewhat formal or literary term for a woman, often used in compounds like 婦人 (ふじん). Rarely used alone in modern conversation.
婦人服売り場は三階です。
The women's clothing department is on the third floor.
女性 is the standard, neutral word for 'woman' or 'female'. 婦 is more formal and often implies a married woman or is used in set phrases.
婦人 is a common compound meaning 'woman' or 'lady', often used in formal contexts like 婦人服 (women's clothing). 婦 alone is less common.
The kanji 婦 is composed of 女 (woman) and 帚 (broom), originally suggesting a woman's domestic role. The reading ふ is the on'yomi.