noun
pious woman; devout woman
Buddhist term for a woman who is devout or virtuous in a religious sense. Not an everyday word; mainly encountered in Buddhist contexts or classical texts.
彼女は熱心な善女で、毎朝お経をあげている。
She is a devout pious woman and chants sutras every morning.
From 善 (zen, 'good, virtuous') + 女 (nyo, 'woman'). A straightforward Sino-Japanese compound used in Buddhist terminology.