noun
A formal or old-fashioned standalone noun for an unmarried woman or young lady. In modern Japanese it is more often encountered in compounds or honorific expressions than as a plain everyday noun.
古い小説では、「嬢」が未婚の女性を指して使われることがある。
In old novels, 嬢 is sometimes used to refer to an unmarried woman.
noun, used as a suffix
Used after a personal name as a title meaning “Miss.” It is chiefly written, formal, or old-fashioned; everyday speech normally uses さん instead.
招待状には「田中嬢」と書かれていた。
The invitation said “Miss Tanaka.”
noun, used as a suffix
female worker; -ess; -ette
Attached after a line of work or role to indicate a female worker, especially in established compounds such as 受付嬢. This usage can sound gendered or somewhat dated depending on the word.
ホテルの受付嬢が笑顔で案内してくれた。
The hotel receptionist greeted me with a smile and showed me the way.
昔の映画にはエレベーター嬢がよく登場する。
Elevator girls often appear in old films.
More common and polite for someone else's daughter or a young woman; 嬢 by itself is more formal, suffix-like, or old-fashioned.
Means a young lady or daughter of a good family, often formal or elegant; 嬢 is shorter and also functions as a suffix after names or occupations.
Common everyday word for daughter or girl. The spelling 娘 read じょう is a rare variant, while 娘 normally reads むすめ.
A Sino-Japanese reading じょう associated with 嬢, a kanji conventionally used for a young woman or lady. The related attested spelling 娘 shares the broad female-person meaning, but its usual modern reading is むすめ.