How to say "fairy" in Japanese

• 妖精ようせいCommon
  no-adjectiveThe default word for a fairy, sprite, or elf of folklore and fantasy. Covers the winged, magical little being of stories and covers the 'elf' sense too, so this is usually the word you want.
  彼女かのじょの足取あしどりは妖精ようせいのように軽かろやかだった。↗

  Her footsteps were as light as a fairy's.
• フェアリー
  nounA katakana loanword meaning fairy. Because it is less common, it typically appears in borrowed contexts such as names, titles, or product labels rather than as the ordinary word for a fairy in a sentence.
• 仙女せんじょ
  nounCovers fairy and nymph, with a nuance of an ethereal, graceful female being rather than a small winged sprite. Less common; a good fit for nymph-like or otherworldly women, rarely the everyday word for 'fairy'.

Use 妖精 for the usual fairy or sprite of folklore and fantasy; 「フェアリー」 is a loanword alternative mostly in borrowed contexts; 仙女 leans toward an ethereal, nymph-like being.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 妖精ようせいfairy
• フェアリーfairy
• 仙女せんじょfairy