女
女 means “woman” or “female” in Japanese. It is a basic kanji for people and also an important radical in many family-related characters.
Reading
On’yomi: ジョ (jo), ニョ (nyo)
Kun’yomi: おんな (onna), め- (me-)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 女 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | woman, female |
| Stroke Count | 3 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
女 appears in words about women, girls, gender, and family. It also appears as a component in many kanji related to female family members and human relationships.
Common Words
- 女（おんな / onna） — woman
- 女性（じょせい / josei） — woman, female
- 女子（じょし / joshi） — girl, young woman
- 女の子（おんなのこ / onna no ko） — girl
- 女王（じょおう / joō） — queen
- 彼女（かのじょ / kanojo） — she, girlfriend
Example Sentences
-
女の子が公園で遊んでいます。
おんなのこがこうえんであそんでいます。 / Onna no ko ga kōen de asonde imasu.
A girl is playing in the park.
-
あの女性は先生です。
あのじょせいはせんせいです。 / Ano josei wa sensei desu.
That woman is a teacher.
-
彼女は日本語が上手です。
かのじょはにほんごがじょうずです。 / Kanojo wa Nihongo ga jōzu desu.
She is good at Japanese.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The standalone reading is おんな. The reading じょ appears in 女性, 女子, 女王, and 女優. 女の子 is an essential beginner word meaning girl.
Summary
女 means woman or female and is important for gender and family vocabulary.