child of the legal wife
Archaic term used in historical contexts to distinguish a child born to the legal wife from one born to a concubine. Not used in modern Japanese.
In the Edo period, a child of the legal wife was treated as the legitimate heir.
Most common kanji spelling for this archaic term.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common.
Alternate kanji spelling emphasizing legitimate birth.
Compound of 向かい (mukai, 'facing, opposite') and 腹 (hara, 'belly, womb'), literally 'the opposite womb', referring to the legal wife as opposed to a concubine. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.