女手
お
ん
な
で
Meanings
1
female help; female worker; woman's labor
Refers to women as a workforce or the work done by women, often contrasted with 男手 (male help).
See also: 男手 (おとこで)
During the busy farming season, we are short of female help.
This job is difficult with only female workers.
2
woman's handwriting
Typically used when distinguishing a woman's handwriting from a man's, or referring to the characteristic style of female writing.
See also: 男手 (おとこで)
This letter is written in a woman's handwriting.
3
archaic
Archaic term for hiragana, historically associated with women's writing. Not used in modern Japanese for the script itself.
See also: 男手 (おとこで)
In the Heian period, hiragana was mainly used by women.
Expressions
- 女手一つでsingle-handedly (as a woman); on one's own (as a single mother)