Japanese dictionary
How to say "girl" in Japanese
女の子おんなのこ · onna no ko
"Girl" in Japanese is 女の子 (onna no ko), literally "female child." In writing, 少女 (shōjo) is also used.
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Ways to say "girl" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 女の子おんなのこ · onna no ko | Girl. Everyday word. |
| 少女しょうじょ · shōjo | Girl. Formal or written. |
| 女子じょし · joshi | Girl; female (at school or in sports). |
How to use it
At school and in sports, 女子 (joshi) is common: 女子チーム (girls' team).
The opposite is 男の子 (otoko no ko, boy).
Example sentences
- 友だちに女の子が生まれました。Tomodachi ni onna no ko ga umaremashita.My friend had a baby girl.
- 娘は小学二年生の女の子です。Musume wa shōgaku ninensei no onna no ko desu.My daughter is a second-grade girl.
- 女子サッカーの試合を見ました。Joshi sakkā no shiai o mimashita.I watched a women's soccer match.
- このクラスは女子が多いです。Kono kurasu wa joshi ga ōi desu.This class has a lot of girls.
- 女の子たちが公園で遊んでいます。Onna no kotachi ga kōen de asonde imasu.Girls are playing in the park.
- 少女が主人公の映画です。Shōjo ga shujinkō no eiga desu.It's a movie with a girl as the main character.
Kanji in this word
Questions
Is 女子 only for girls?
No. 女子 (joshi) is used for girls at school, and also for women in sports and in casual phrases like 女子会 (a women's get-together).
How do you say "girls' school" in Japanese?
A girls' school is 女子校 (joshikō).
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.