How to say "female" in Japanese

• 女性じょせいJLPT N4approx.Common
  no-adjectiveCovers 'female' as a classification of people — a person's sex as recorded in statistics, questionnaires, forms, and announcements. It presents 'female' as a category rather than a direct description of an individual.
  その少女しょうじょは大おおきくなってすらりとした女性じょせいになった。↗

  The girl has grown into a slender woman.
• 女おんなJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, noun (prefix)Primarily the everyday word for 'woman'; as 'female' it refers to a female person in ordinary speech and description, rather than to an official or statistical category.
  彼かれが戻もどってきた時ときには、女おんなは歩み去あゆみさっていた。↗

  When he came back, the woman had walked off.
• めすJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveRefers to the female of animals and plants, as opposed to the male; used when talking about an animal's sex, in biology or everyday contexts. Usually written in kana, and not applied to people.
  カンガルーの雌めすは子供こどもを腹はらの袋ふくろに入いれて動うごく。↗

  A female kangaroo carries its young in the pouch.

For 'female' of people choose 女性 in official or statistical contexts and 女 in everyday speech; 「めす」 is only for female animals and plants and is usually written in kana.

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

• 女性じょせいwoman
• 女おんなwoman
• めすfemale (animal, plant)
• 雌めfemale
• フィメールfemale
• 雌性しせいfemale
• 女性らしいじょせいらしいfeminine