inner · depths

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 奥 means an inner part or depth; its kun-reading is おく.
• Basic usage: 奥(おく) means deep inside, while 奥さん(おくさん) refers to a wife or married woman.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• An inner position and a term for a person
  • 廊下の一番奥 means the far end of the hallway. It also applies to a place deep inside, as in 森の奥, deep in the forest.
  • 田中さんの奥さん means Tanaka's wife. 奥さん names a person, so its meaning is not the inner part of a space.