Ways To Say ‘Woman’ in Japanese

In the Japanese language, there are several different words to refer to a woman, but depending on the word you choose, the meaning can be worlds different.

On an evening out, an acquaintance jokingly recalled an anecdote in which supermarket staff addressed her as okusan. The word, she said as she impatiently gulped her beer, is incorrect—she’s single (and loves it), is focused on her career and never intends to build a family. But apparently, the simple act of buying carrots automatically placed her in the category of a married woman. While we brushed off the conversation, quick to focus on more important things (wine), the topic kept coming around—making us ponder the etymology behind the ways to say “woman” in Japanese.

• Onna (女)
• Fujin (婦人)
• Josei (女性)
• Ojosan/Ojosama (お嬢さん/お嬢様)
• Okusan (奥さん)
• Okaasan (お母さん)

Onna (女)

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According to Japanese dictionaries, the kanji for “woman” was formed by three simple lines. It’s said to have evolved from the traditional female posture of kneeling with hands folded, the ultimate feminine pose still practiced today, mostly at ryokan (Japanese inns).

The word onna is one of the most general and simplified terms used to refer to women. It’s commonly used in official documents and forms to specify one’s gender.

Used in verbal conversation; however, the word can have an insulting connotation, commonly used to look down on someone or imply either stupidity, as in baka onna (stupid woman), hidoi onna (cruel woman) or ii onna (chick), commonly used with a sexual connotation. Interestingly, when praising a woman, it is more common to use hito (person) or josei (female), as in kirei na hito or kirei na josei (beautiful woman).

Fujin (婦人)

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If you’ve lived in Japan for a while, you’ve probably heard people (aka the media) address certain celebrities and classy women as fujin.

Fujin is a term for women of high status who are usually married to politicians or important, well-known public figures. It can be translated as ”madam” or ”lady” in English and is associated with high esteem and financial affluence. It‘s also used at department stores for female fashion or goods. Its origin, however, is said to have derived from the combination of the kanji for “woman” and “broom.”

Josei (女性)

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Josei is the most general term used to refer to women and is the equivalent of “female” in English. It is composed of two kanji characters, “woman” and “sex.”

It’s also the safest and most politically correct of them all. It became the official term used in political documents, replacing fujin in the early 1990s after women’s organizations pointed out that the latter implies all women are mature and married.

Ojosan/Ojosama (お嬢さん/お嬢様)

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The direct translation means “(someone else’s) daughter.” However, if used on adults, it implies that someone is spoiled and dependent on others. It’s usually used to describe relatively affluent young women who live a carefree life and have little to worry about.

Okusan (奥さん)

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Literally meaning “Ms. Interior,” okusan (or the more polite okusama) is the most common way to refer to someone’s wife. It is commonly used on women who happen to be of marital age and social status.

The kanji character for okusama means “not just interior, but the depths far within a building,” as Kittredge Cherry points out in her book Womansword: What Japanese Words Say About Women.

Men use the term when talking about their own wives too, though it’s gradually being replaced by tsuma.

Okaasan (お母さん)

One of the most confusing words in the Japanese language for foreigners is, by all means, the word okaasan (mother). Everyone seems to be an okaasan here, whether it’s your own mother or your friend’s mother. The kanji for okaasan is used for women who have children and married women with a family. It’s common for husbands to call their wives okaasan or mama instead of using their names.

Mama, on the other hand, is also commonly used to address female bar owners or karaoke diners (“Mama-san.”)

What do you think about the ways to say woman in Japanese? Let us know in the comments below.

Initially, this article was published in 2016. It has been updated in 2024.

Comments

Steve Crew says:

September 2, 2024 at 8:48 pm

Nice article but you forgot One-san.