also: じょしょう
noun
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.
旅館の女将が玄関まで迎えに来てくれた。
The proprietress of the inn came to greet us at the entrance.
あの料亭の女将はとても気さくな
The hostess of that traditional restaurant is very friendly.
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.