noun
Refers to a woman on or around her wedding day, or a newly married woman. Often used in contexts like お嫁さん (polite) or 花嫁 (bride).
彼女は美しい花嫁になった。
She became a beautiful bride.
お嫁さんはとても幸せそうだった。
The bride looked very happy.
noun
daughter-in-law
Used from the perspective of the husband's parents. Can also be used more broadly to refer to a son's wife. Often appears as お嫁さん in polite speech.
うちの嫁は料理が上手だ。
My daughter-in-law is good at cooking.
息子の嫁が来月出産する。
My son's wife is having a baby next month.
noun
Dialectal (Kansai-ben) and somewhat old-fashioned or rustic way for a man to refer to his own wife. In standard Japanese, 妻 or 家内 are more common.
うちの嫁が作ったんや。
My wife made it. (Kansai dialect)
おたくの嫁さん、元気？
How's your wife? (Kansai dialect)
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Originally referred to a woman who marries into a family, hence the meanings 'bride' and 'daughter-in-law'. The dialectal use for 'wife' likely developed from the daughter-in-law sense.