女
woman, female
Readings
On'yomi
- ジョ
- ニョ
- ニョウ
Kun'yomi
- おんな
- め
Nanori
- おな
- た
- つき
- な
Meaning
女 centers on the concept of a woman or female person. It is the basic character for female gender and appears as a component in many related kanji.
Most common words using 女
24 of 843- 女おんなN5
woman; female
- 女性じょせいN4
woman; female
- 彼女かのじょN5
she; her
- 女子じょしN3
woman; girl
- 女の子おんなのこN5
girl; daughter; baby girl
- 少女しょうじょN3
girl (usu. between 7 and 17); young lady
- 女優じょゆうN3
actress; female actor
- 男女だんじょN1
men and women; man and woman; both sexes; both genders
- 女王じょおうN3
queen
- 美女びじょN3
beautiful woman
- 魔女まじょ
witch
- 女子高じょしこう
girls' high school
- 女神めがみ
goddess
- 処女しょじょN1
virgin (usu. female); maiden
- 女子大じょしだい
women's college; women's university
- 王女おうじょN2
princess
- 長女ちょうじょN3
eldest daughter; first-born daughter
- 巫女みこ
miko; shrine maiden; young girl or woman (trad. an unmarried virgin) who assists priests at shrines
- 女児じょじ
girl; baby girl
- 女房にょうぼうN2
wife (esp. one's own wife)
- 次女じじょN3
second daughter
- 女医じょい
female doctor
- 早乙女さおとめ
young female rice planter; young girl
- 淑女しゅくじょ
lady
Study
Etymology
女 is a pictograph of a woman, originally showing a kneeling or seated figure with arms crossed. The modern form is highly stylized but retains the basic human shape.
Meaning mnemonic
The three strokes suggest a person with a curving body and crossed arms: a woman. The shape is simple and feminine.
Reading mnemonic
For ジョ, imagine a woman named Jo: Jo -> ジョ. Picture Jo standing with her arms crossed just like the 女 shape.