noun
Refers to the person in charge of a household, group, or organization; carries a traditional or hierarchical tone.
彼はこの家の主だ。
He is the head of this household.
主の命令には逆らえない。
You cannot disobey the master's orders.
noun
Used for the owner of a shop, business, or property; often implies a long-standing or respected owner.
この店の主はとても親切だ。
The owner of this shop is very kind.
土地の主に許可をもらう必要がある。
You need to get permission from the landowner.
noun
Refers to the person who is the subject of a rumor or the doer of a deed; often used in set phrases like 噂の主.
噂の主は誰なのか気になる。
I wonder who the subject of the rumor is.
そのいたずらの主は弟だった。
The doer of that prank was my younger brother.
noun
guardian spirit; long-time resident
Can refer to a mystical guardian spirit of a place, often an old animal, or to a person who has been in a place or position for a very long time.
この池の主は大蛇だと言われている。
They say the guardian spirit of this pond is a giant snake.
彼はこの会社の主のような存在で、誰も逆らえない。
He is like a long-time fixture in this company; no one can oppose him.
noun
Old-fashioned or dialectal term for one's husband; now mostly replaced by 夫 or 主人.
うちの主はいつも遅く帰ってくる。
My husband always comes home late.
pronoun
Familiar or old-fashioned second-person pronoun, often used by older men or in period speech; can sound rough or affectionate depending on context.
See also: おぬし
主もなかなかやるな。
You're pretty good too, aren't you?
お主、名は何と申す？
What is your name, good sir?
主人 is the more common modern word for 'master', 'head of household', or 'husband'. 主 (ぬし) has a more traditional, sometimes archaic flavor.
所有者 is a formal, legal term for 'owner'. 主 (ぬし) is more colloquial and often implies a personal, long-standing relationship.
お主 is a polite or old-fashioned second-person pronoun, similar to 主 (ぬし) but with the honorific prefix お.
Derived from Old Japanese. The kanji 主 is used for its meaning of 'master' or 'lord'. The reading ぬし is native Japanese and not derived from Chinese.