How to say "lady" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe direct loanword for 'lady': a woman regarded as refined, or a polite way to address or refer to women, with the Western flavor typical of loanwords.
- 婦人ふじんnounA formal word for an adult woman; it is dated and can come across as insensitive or condescending, so care is needed, especially when addressing someone directly.
- nounThe loanword for 'madam': a polite way to address or refer to a married woman, and by extension a lady or housewife, with a distinctly Western flavor.
- 淑女しゅくじょnounA lady in the refined sense: a woman of grace, good manners and gentle breeding, used in formal speech and writing.
- 女史じょしnounA lady of high social status — a scholar, artist, critic or politician — used respectfully, especially in writing and journalism, to refer to an accomplished woman.
Use 「レディー」 for the straightforward loanword, 淑女 for a refined lady, 女史 for a woman of high standing, 「マダム」 for a married woman or 'madam', and 婦人 only with care, as it is dated and can sound insensitive.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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