Translation and Meaning of: 女子 - onago

The Japanese word 女子 (おなご, onago) may seem simple at first glance, but it carries interesting nuances worth exploring. If you are learning Japanese or just curious about the language, understanding its meaning, origin, and usage in everyday life can be quite useful. In this article, we will dive into the details of this expression, from its writing in kanji to how it is perceived in modern Japanese culture.

In addition to uncovering the meaning of 女子, we will also see how to memorize it efficiently and in which contexts it appears most frequently. Whether to enrich your vocabulary or satisfy your linguistic curiosity, this guide will help you better understand this word and its role in Japanese.

Meaning and usage of 女子 (おなご)

女子, read as おなご (onago), is a word that refers to "woman" or "girl" in Japanese. However, its usage is more specific than common terms like 女 (おんな, onna) or 女性 (じょせい, josei). While the latter are neutral and widely used, 女子 has a slightly older or regional tone, being more frequent in historical contexts or dialects.

In some regions of Japan, especially in the Kansai dialect, おなご is still used in daily life, but in large cities like Tokyo, it is more commonly heard in period dramas or fixed expressions. It is worth noting that, although it can be used to refer to women in general, it often carries a more informal or even affectionate connotation, depending on the context.

Origin and writing in kanji

The writing of 女子 combines two kanji: 女 (woman) and 子 (child). Together, they form a word that literally means "woman child" or "girl." This composition is similar to other Japanese words that use 子 to indicate youth, such as 男子 (だんし, danshi – boy) or 子供 (こども, kodomo – child). However, unlike these examples, おなご is not as common in contemporary Japanese.

Interestingly, the reading おなご is one of the many kun'yomi readings (Japanese readings) for these kanji. While the on'yomi reading (based on Chinese) would be じょし (joshi), this form is more associated with terms like 女子高生 (じょしこうせい, joshikousei – female high school student). This difference between readings is a great reminder of how Japanese can vary depending on the context.

Tips for memorizing and using 女子

If you want to incorporate 女子 into your vocabulary, a good strategy is to associate it with similar words that you already know. For example, remember that 女 (onna) is the base for "woman," while 子 (ko) appears in various words related to children. By combining the two, you form 女子 – a word that can be seen as an older or regional version of "young woman."

Another tip is to pay attention to specific contexts where おなご appears. If you watch historical doramas (like those set in the Edo period), you are more likely to hear this word. Similarly, if you interact with speakers of regional dialects, you may encounter it in informal conversations. Using flashcards or apps like Anki with real examples also helps to fix the term in memory.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 女性 (josei) - Woman (general term for an adult female)
• 女の子 (onnanoko) - Girl (refers to a female child)
• 女子供 (jikidomo) - Girl (also refers to girls, but with a more emphatic tone about childhood)
• 女性人口 (josei jinkō) - Female population (refers to the total number of women in a population)

女子

Romaji: onago
Kana: おなご
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3, jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: woman; girl

Meaning in English: woman;girl

Definition: A young woman.

Example Sentences - (女子) onago

See below some example sentences:

女子は強くて美しいです。

Onna no ko wa tsuyokute utsukushii desu

Women are strong and beautiful.

The girls are strong and beautiful.

• 女子 (joshi) - means "women" in Japanese
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "women"
• 強くて (tsuyokute) - adverb meaning "strong" or "powerful", used here as an adjective to describe women
• 美しい (utsukushii) - adjective meaning "beautiful" or "pretty", used here to describe women
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of the sentence