Meaning and Usage
"夫妇" specifically refers to a married couple, emphasizing the relationship between husband and wife. It is a formal and neutral term commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese.
Common Contexts
You will often see "夫妇" used in news reports, formal announcements, or descriptions of family relationships. It highlights the marital bond rather than just any couple.
Collocations and Patterns
- 夫妇俩 (fūfù liǎ): the couple (emphasizing both people)
- 夫妇关系 (fūfù guānxi): marital relationship
- 夫妇生活 (fūfù shēnghuó): married life
These collocations help specify the context, whether talking about the couple themselves or aspects of their relationship.
Usage Tips
"夫妇" is more formal than "夫妻" (fūqī), which also means husband and wife but is slightly more casual. Avoid confusing "夫妇" with "情侣" (qínglǚ), which means romantic couple but not necessarily married.
Summary
Use "夫妇" when you want to clearly indicate a legally or socially recognized married couple, especially in formal or neutral contexts.