配偶
pèiǒu · HSK 7
spouse
💍 配 (to match, pair up) + 偶 (mate, partner) = the person paired with you: a spouse
偶 also means even-numbered, fitting the idea of a matched pair rather than an odd one out. 配偶 is the formal, paperwork word for spouse, the term used on forms and in law.
配 — wine vessel 酉 + self 己
Originally depicted a person 己 beside a wine jar 酉, suggesting matching or distributing wine at ceremonies. From this came the meaning 'to pair, match, distribute,' and later 'to deserve' or 'to mix/compound.' The 酉 component gives the wine-related semantic root, while 己 contributes phonetically.