noun
A somewhat dated or colloquial term for a woman who remains unmarried past the usual age. Can carry a slightly negative or pitying tone. Often used in traditional or rural contexts.
彼女は行かず後家と呼ばれるのを嫌がっている。
She hates being called an old maid.
昔は行かず後家という言葉がよく使われ
In the past, the word 'ikazugoke' was often used.
A neutral, formal term for an unmarried woman, without the negative connotations.
Compound of 行かず (ikazu, 'not going', from 行く) and 後家 (goke, 'widow'). Literally 'a widow who hasn't gone (to her husband's family)', implying a woman who remains unmarried and thus never becomes a wife. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.