よめ

There are several theories, all of which analyse it as よ (yo) + 女(め) (me, “woman, female”). However, よ (yo) may be one of the following:

• 呼 (“to call out, invite”, in reference to welcoming the daughter-in-law as the son’s wife)
• 弱 (“weak”, in reference to the inferior position relative to the mother-in-law)
• 夜 (“night”, in reference to serving the husband at night)
• 良 (“good”)
• 吉 (“good luck”)

• (Tokyo) よめ [yòmé] (Heiban – [0])[1][2][3]
• IPA^(key): [jo̞me̞]

よめ • (yome) 

1. bride
   • 1984 February 20 [1982 September 15], Motoka Murakami, “父(と)っちゃより大(おお)きくの巻(まき) [Ah’ll Be Taller than Pa]”, in 六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)の剣(けん) (六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)の剣(けん)) [Musashi’s Sword], 6th edition, volume 8 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 62:

     六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)くん！私(わたくし)たちのこと忘(わす)れないで——‼

     Musashi-kun! Watakushi-tachi no koto wasure nai de——‼

     Musashi-kun! Don’t forget about us——‼

     おやぶーん、いつか帰(かえ)ってこいよ〰‼

     Oyabūn, itsuka kaette koi yo~‼

     Come see us someday, boss〰⁉

     もなみを……六(ム)三(サ)四(シ)くんのお嫁(よめ)さんさしてね〰〰‼

     Monami o…… Musashi-kun no o-yome-san sa shite ne~~‼

     When we grow up…… marry me, okaaay~!?

     (literally, “Make Monami…… Musashi-kun’s bride~!!”)

2. daughter in law
3. (archaic, now chiefly Kansai) wife
4. (Internet slang) waifu or husbando

   Synonym: むこ (muko, “husbando”)

   Coordinate term: むこ (muko, “husbando”)

• IPA^(key): [jo̞me̞]

よめ • (yome) 

1. imperative of よむ (yomu)