also: じょしょう
proprietress; landlady; hostess
Refers to the woman who runs a traditional Japanese inn (旅館), restaurant (料亭), or small shop. Conveys a sense of authority and hospitality. The reading おかみ is the most common; じょしょう is more formal and often used in written contexts.
The proprietress of this inn is very kind.
The proprietress of the inn came to greet us at the entrance.
The hostess of that traditional restaurant is very friendly.
She has served as the proprietress of this shop for thirty years.
After marrying, she became the proprietress of this restaurant.
The proprietress greeted the guests at the entrance.
女将 is the more traditional, formal term for a female proprietress (esp. of a ryokan or restaurant), while ママ is the casual, friendly term used mainly for bars and snacks.
女将 refers to the female proprietress of an establishment, whereas 主人 refers to the male proprietor or master of the same kind of business.
counter for people
Standard kanji form for the common reading おかみ. Also read じょしょう in formal contexts.
Formal reading used in official titles or written descriptions; less common in everyday speech.
Kana spelling is common in informal writing or when the kanji is considered difficult.
The kanji 女 (woman) and 将 (leader, general) combine to mean 'female leader'. The reading おかみ is a gikun (meaning-based reading) derived from 御上 (おかみ), an honorific term for a person of higher status, later specialized to female proprietors.