How to say "lady-in-waiting" in Japanese

• 女官じょかんCommon
  nounThe common, general term for a woman serving as an official at court; when you simply mean a lady-in-waiting or court lady, this is the word to reach for.
• 局つぼね
  nounA historical term for a court lady in the Heian period; use it for Heian court contexts, since it is less common and tied to that era.
• 侍婢じひ
  nounA less common word for a lady-in-waiting, with the nuance of a female attendant; for the general court sense, 女官 is usually the safer choice.
• 内侍ないし
  nounNames a specific court post — a maid of honor — rather than the role in general, so it is seldom what you want unless the titled position itself is meant.
• 典侍てんじ
  nounLike 内侍, this names a specific court title — a maid of honor — and fits when the office or rank is meant rather than a lady-in-waiting in general.

Use 女官 as the general term for a court lady or lady-in-waiting; 局 for the Heian-period historical sense; 侍婢 for a female attendant; and 内侍 and 典侍 for specific court posts.

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

• 女官じょかんcourt lady
• 局つぼねcourt lady (Heian period)
• 侍婢じひlady-in-waiting
• 内侍ないしmaid of honor
• 典侍てんじmaid of honor