Translation guide
A person who dresses in clothing typically associated with the opposite sex. In Japanese, the most common term is 女装家 for male-to-female cross-dressers, but context and intent matter greatly. This guide covers terms for cross-dressers, the act of cross-dressing, and related expressions.
Referring to a person who identifies as male but dresses in women's clothing, often for performance, personal expression, or sexual reasons.
Neutral term for a male who dresses as a woman, often used for professional or habitual cross-dressers. Can be used in media and everyday conversation.
He is a famous transvestite.
Literally 'female-attire person'. Slightly more formal or written than 女装家, but similar in meaning.
Transvestites gather at that bar.
Slang term for a gay man or male cross-dresser. Can be derogatory or self-referential within the community. Use with caution.
Often considered offensive unless used by someone within the community. Avoid in formal settings.
He works at a gay/cross-dresser bar.
Referring to a person who identifies as female but dresses in men's clothing.
Describing the action or practice of a male dressing in women's clothing.
Noun meaning 'cross-dressing as a woman'. Can be used with する to mean 'to cross-dress'.
He enjoys cross-dressing on weekends.
I went to the party dressed as a woman.
Describing the action or practice of a female dressing in men's clothing.
Noun meaning 'cross-dressing as a man'. Used with する.
She infiltrated the company disguised as a man.
Referring to cross-dressing as part of theater, drag, or cosplay.
Male actor who plays female roles in Kabuki. A traditional form of cross-dressing performance.
He is famous as a Kabuki onnagata (female role specialist).
Loanword for 'drag queen'. Used in modern drag culture.
He performs in shows as a drag queen.
Literary phrase meaning 'a beauty in male attire'. Used for strikingly attractive women dressed as men, often in Takarazuka Revue or fiction.
The English word 'transvestite' can sound clinical or outdated. In Japanese, directly translating it as トランスヴェスタイト is rarely used. Instead, use context-appropriate terms like 女装家 or describe the action (女装する).
女装 (josō) is male-to-female cross-dressing; 男装 (dansō) is female-to-male. These are the most common and neutral terms for the act of cross-dressing. Adding 家 (ka) or 者 (sha) turns them into nouns for the person.
To say 'cross-dress', use 女装する or 男装する. Example: 女装してみたい (I want to try cross-dressing as a woman).
She is called a 'beauty in male attire'.