Shujin
主人
My husband, Master
Shujin (主人 / しゅじん) is a word that can be used to call your own husband. Historically, this used to mean ‘master’ or ‘head of household’. It contains the characters for ‘lord’/’master’ (主) and ‘person’ (人).
By itself, shujin cannot be used to refer to another person’s husband, unless you add the honorific prefix go- (ご~), which makes a word polite. This way, goshujin is appropriate for formal or polite situations.
Examples:
Your own husband
Shujin wa shuumatsu ni tomodachi to basukettobōru wo shite imasu.
主人は週末に友達とバスケットボールをしています。
しゅじん は しゅうまつ に ともだち と ばすけっとぼーる を しています。
My husband plays basketball with his friends on the weekends.
Somebody else’s husband
Goshujin ga yoyaku wo shite kuremashita.
ご主人が予約をしてくれました。
ご しゅじん が よやく を してくれました。
Her husband made a reservation.
Danna
旦那
Husband (somebody else’s)
As a polite term, danna (旦那 / だんな) is used when referring to somebody else’s husband. While doing so, it is best to add honorifics like -san (~さん) or -sama (~様 / ~さま) to be polite.
In informal situations, you can use danna when talking about your own husband around your peers. It’s more common to hear younger spouses use this term.
Example:
Yoshioka-san no danna-san to issho ni nomikai ni iku koto ga aru.
吉岡さんの旦那さんと一緒に飲み会に行くことがある。
よしおかさん の だんなさん と いっしょに のみかいに いく こと が ある。
Occasionally I go to get-togethers with Ms. Yoshioka’s husband.
This word also has a gendered meaning behind it. In the past, danna was used by the geisha or similar servicepeople to refer to their male patrons or customers of high status. It can also translate to ‘master’ just like shujin, but this sounds a little more intimate.
Interestingly, danna also means ‘almsgiver’ in Buddhism.
Danna is made up of the kanji for ‘dawn’ (旦) and ‘what’ (那).