伴侶

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 伴侶 is read as はんりょ and is a noun for a life partner or companion who shares a person’s life over time.
• Basic usage: A longtime partner appears in 長年連れ添った伴侶, while losing a life companion appears in 人生の伴侶を失う.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• An enduring companion in life
  • It suggests a close person who shares one’s life over time rather than someone accompanying one only temporarily.
• Difference from 配偶者
  • Unlike the administrative or legal term for a married spouse, this word more strongly conveys the emotional idea of a companion in life.