also: じょじょうぶ
heroine; brave woman; spirited woman
Refers to a woman of exceptional courage, strength of character, or heroic spirit. Often used in literary or formal contexts to praise a woman's fortitude.
彼女はまさに女丈夫と呼ぶにふさわしい人物だ。
She is truly a person worthy of being called a heroine.
戦場で負傷者を救ったその女丈夫の話は今も語り継がれている。
The story of that brave woman who rescued the wounded on the battlefield is still told today.
烈女 also means a woman of strong character, but often emphasizes fierce loyalty or chastity, especially in historical contexts. 女丈夫 focuses more on bravery and spiritedness.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading じょじょうふ is more common than じょじょうぶ.
Alternate reading; less common and may be considered non-standard by some speakers.
Compound of 女 (woman) and 丈夫 (strong man, hero). The word 丈夫 originally meant a man of strong build and character; 女丈夫 extends this to a woman with similar heroic qualities.