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.
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.
婦人 is the common formal compound for 'lady/woman', whereas 婦 alone is rarely used outside of set compounds.
married couple; husband and wife
housewife; homemaker
pregnant woman; expectant mother
prostitute
bride
policewoman; female police officer
head nurse; matron
nude woman; female nude
woman; womankind
Standard kanji form. Often used in compounds and formal contexts.
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.
midwife
widow; divorced woman not remarried; unmarried woman
women and children · woman; grown woman; wife
expectant and nursing mothers
monogamy
woman who has given birth; multipara
woman in childbirth; woman about to give birth; woman who has just given birth
woman; lady; adult female
mistress; kept woman; lover
housekeeper; maid
(female) nurse
deceased wife; deceased lady
previous wife; late wife
heroine; brave woman
coarse woman; country woman
title for high-ranking court ladies
enchantress; seductress; vamp; siren