noun
transformation into a man; woman reborn as a man
Buddhist doctrinal term: a woman being reborn as a man in order to attain Buddhahood, based on the idea that only men could become Buddhas in certain sutras. Rare outside Buddhist contexts.
法華経には、女性が変成男子して成仏できると説かれている。
The Lotus Sutra teaches that a woman can attain Buddhahood by being reborn as a man.
From 変成 (transformation) + 男子 (man). A Buddhist technical term.