# 女

| 女 | U+5973, &#22899; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5973 |
| ← 奲 [U+5972] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 奴 → [U+5974] |
| ⼥ | U+2F25, &#12069; KANGXI RADICAL WOMAN |
| ← ⼤ [U+2F24] | Kangxi Radicals | ⼦ → [U+2F26] |
| 女 | U+F981, &#63873; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F981 |
| ← 呂 [U+F980] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs | 廬 → [U+F982] |
| ㊛ | U+329B, &#12955; CIRCLED IDEOGRAPH FEMALE |
| ← ㊚ [U+329A] | Enclosed CJK Letters and Months | ㊜ → [U+329C] |

## Translingual
### Han character

女 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 女 (V), four-corner 4040$_0$, composition ⿻𡿨丆(GJKV) or ⿻𡿨𠂇(HT))
* Kangxi radical #38, ⼥.

#### Derived characters

* Appendix:Chinese radical/女, 奻, 㚣, 姦
* 汝, 肗, 籹, 釹(钕), 邚, 䎟, 䶯, 㣽, 安, 娄, 耍, 要, 蒆, 䆯, 䶒, 囡
* 佞, 㓂, 宼, 窛, 桜, 珱, 䋝, 䧪, 巕
* 𠯆, 𡥃, 𢑒, 𫹌, 𢖵, 𣅓, 𪱴, 𤖩, 𤘙, 𤣷, 𤯕, 𫀁, 𦘽, 𫌜, 𫌳, 𧴱, 𧺜, 𨐎, 𩖠, 𩚔, 𩨚, 𫶯
* 𠚰, 𭴇, 𥁅, 𠕷, 𡉓, 𢇘, 𦬑, 𢨭, 𣱘, 𥤨, 𥫭, 𮡎, 𦯽, 𤕢, 𫒈, 𩁻, 𫘺, 𨳐, 𣍲

#### Descendants

* め (Hiragana character derived from man'yōgana)
* メ (Katakana character derived from man'yōgana)

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 254, character 22
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6036
* Dae Jaweon: page 516, character 19
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1023, character 23
* Unihan data for U+5973
* Unihan data for U+F981

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 女 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 拿 | *rnaː |
| 拏 | *rnaː |
| 詉 | *rnaː |
| 蒘 | *rnaː, *na |
| 笯 | *rnaː, *naː, *naːs |
| 挐 | *rnaː, *na |
| 絮 | *rnaːs, *nas, *snas, *nas |
| 呶 | *rnaːw |
| 怓 | *rnaːw |
| 帑 | *n̥ʰaːŋʔ, *naː |
| 奴 | *naː |
| 砮 | *naː, *naːʔ |
| 駑 | *naː |
| 孥 | *naː |
| 努 | *naːʔ |
| 弩 | *naːʔ |
| 怒 | *naːʔ, *naːs |
| 袽 | *na |
| 帤 | *na |
| 女 | *naʔ, *nas |
| 籹 | *naʔ |
| 恕 | *hnjas |
| 如 | *nja, *njas |
| 茹 | *nja, *njaʔ, *njas |
| 洳 | *nja, *njas |
| 鴽 | *nja |
| 蕠 | *nja |
| 汝 | *njaʔ |
| 肗 | *njaʔ |
Pictogram (象形): a woman with breasts kneeling or standing. In modern form turned on left side: enclosed area is remnant of left breast (character's left, depicted woman's right), while right breast has disappeared.
Graphically cognate to 母 (mǔ, “mother”) and 毋, which has developed similarly, but also includes dots for nipples and has retained both breasts. Compare Egyptian 𓁐.
Similar but unrelated to 卩, in which the person kneeling has unspecified gender.

### Etymology 1

* 女 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 女 (Cantonese)
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *naq (“woman”). Compare Tibetan ཉག་མོ (nyag mo, “woman”) (Hill, 2019).
Pronunciation 2 is an exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 (Schuessler, 2007).

#### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): nǚ (nü$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄋㄩˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): nyü$^3$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): nǜ
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): lǚ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): нү (nü, II)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): neoi$^5$ / neoi$^{5-2}$ / neoi$^{5-1}$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): nu$^5$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): nui$^2$
    (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): nei$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): nyy$^3$ / nyyn$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): ńg
    (Hailu, HRS): ng$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): n$^3$
    (Changting, Changting Pinyin): ni$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): ny$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): nṳ̌
* Eastern Min (BUC): nṳ̄
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): dy$^3$ / ly$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): lú / lí / lír
    (Teochew, Peng'im): neng$^2$ / ni$^2$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): ni$^2$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): nyu$^2$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$gniu / $^4$gniu / $^3$niu
* Xiang
    (Changsha, Wiktionary): nyy$^3$
    (Loudi, Wiktionary): ny$^3$
    (Hengyang, Wiktionary): ny$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: nǚ
*** Zhuyin: ㄋㄩˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: nyǔ
*** Wade–Giles: nü$^3$
*** Yale: nyǔ
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: neu
*** Palladius: нюй (njuj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ny²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: nyü$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ny
*** Sinological IPA : /nʲy⁵³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: nǜ
*** Sinological IPA : /ny⁵³/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: lǚ
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): lü$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /ly¹¹/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: нү (nü, II)
*** Sinological IPA : /ny⁵¹/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: neoi$^5$ / neoi$^{5-2}$ / neoi$^{5-1}$
*** Yale: néuih / néui / nēui
*** Cantonese Pinyin: noey$^5$ / noey$^{5-2}$ / noey$^{5-1}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: nêu$^5$ / nêu$^{5-2}$ / nêu$^{5-1}$
*** Sinological IPA : /nɵy̯¹³/, /nɵy̯¹³⁻³⁵/, /nɵy̯¹³⁻⁵⁵/
* neoi5-2 - “daughter; girlfriend; girl”;
* neoi5-1 - “queen”.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit女 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ny²¹⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ny²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /nuei¹³/ /ny¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ȵy⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /ny⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /ny⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /ny⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /mji⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ny⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /ȵy⁴⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ȵy⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /y⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /ȵy⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /ni⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ni⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /ly²¹²/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /zz̩ʷ²⁴/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /ny⁵³/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /nzz̩ʷ⁵³/ ～子 /ȵy⁵³/ ～貓 |
| Jin | Hohhot | /ny⁵³/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /ȵy²³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /ȵy³¹/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /nz̩ʷ⁵³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /ȵy³⁵/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /ny³⁵/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /ȵy²⁴/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /ȵy⁴¹/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /ȵy⁴²/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /ȵy²¹³/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /n̩³¹/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /ŋ̍³¹/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /nøy²³/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /ny²⁴/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /nøy¹³/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /lu⁵³/ /li⁵³/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /ny³²/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /ny²¹/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /nɯŋ⁵³/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /nu²¹³/ |
* Middle Chinese: nrjoX
Rime :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 娘 (12) |
| Final (韻) | 魚 (22) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 尼吕切 |
| Baxter | nrjoX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɳɨʌ$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɳiɔ$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /niɔ$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɳɨə̆$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /niɔ$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /nĭo$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ni̯wo$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | nǚ |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | neoi$^5$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*nraʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*naʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | nǚ |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ nrjo$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*nraʔ/ |
| English | female |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 9616 |
| Phonetic component | 女 |
| Rime group | 魚 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | |
| Old Chinese | /*naʔ/ |

##### Definitions

女
* woman; (only of humans in Standard Chinese) female
    女人 ― nǚrén ― woman
    女的 ― nǚde ― woman; female
    一個女演員／一个女演员 ― yī ge nǚ yǎnyuán ― an actress
    一個女士兵／一个女士兵 ― yī ge nǚ shìbīng ― a female soldier
       Qǐngwèn nǚ wèishēngjiān zài nǎr? [Pinyin]
       Excuse me, where is the ladies' lavatory?; Excuse me, where is the women's bathroom?
    Coordinate term: 男 (nán)
    See also: 母, 雌
* daughter (Classifier: 個／个 c; 粒 c)
    次女 ― cì'nǚ ― second daughter
       keoi$^5$ hai$^6$ ngo$^5$ go$^3$ neoi$^{5-2}$ [Jyutping]
       She's my daughter.
* (Cantonese) girl; young female (Classifier: 條／条 c; 班 c)
    靚女／靓女 [Cantonese] ― leng$^3$ neoi$^{5-2}$ [Jyutping] ― pretty girl
* (Cantonese, Teochew, slang) girlfriend (Classifier: 條／条 c; 粒 mn-t)
** (Can we date this quote?), “脚车破尼”, performed by 郑小锴:
       (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* (Cantonese, card games) queen (Classifier: 張／张 c; 隻／只 c)
* (astronomy) the Girl (a Chinese constellation near Aquarius, 10th of the Twenty-Eight Mansions and part of the Black Turtle)

###### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 女 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 女兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 女兒, 女花兒, 閨女, 姑娘, 丫頭 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 女兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Langfang | 閨妮 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 女兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 女兒, 姑娘, 閨女, 閨娘, 丫頭 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 姑娘, 丫頭 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 女兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 女兒 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 女兒, 閨女, 小棉襖 humorous |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Weifang (Weicheng) | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Weifang (Fangzi) | 閨女, 嫚兒 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Changle | 閨女兒 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shouguang | 閨女 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Wulian | 閨女, 丫頭, 嫚兒, 識字班 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 閨娘, 閨娘子, 女兒 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Weifang (Hanting) | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Changyi | 閨女, 嫚姑子 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Gaomi | 閨女, 嫚兒, 嫚兒姑子 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Zhucheng | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Anqiu | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Linqu | 閨女 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingzhou | 閨女 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Daming | 妮兒 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 女子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 閨女, 妞 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 女, 女兒 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 姑娘, 丫頭 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 女兒, 閨女 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 女兒, 姑娘兒 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 女兒, 丫頭 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Bayanhot | 丫頭 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 女兒 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 女兒, 丫頭 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 女兒, 女, 姑娘兒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 姑娘, 丫頭 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 姑娘, 女娃娃, 女娃兒, 幺女, 幺姑娘, 小丫頭, 小姑娘 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 囡兒, 姑娘 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 女兒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 女, 丫頭 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Sanjiang (Danzhou) | 妹崽 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 女兒, 姑娘 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 女兒, 姑娘 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 丫頭 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 女兒, 丫頭 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Huanggang | 女兒 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 女, 女女, 阿女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 女, 妹仔 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 阿女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 阿女 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Dapeng) | 阿女 |
| Cantonese | Qingyuan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Fogang | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yingde (Hanguang) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yangshan | 妹仔 |
| Cantonese | Lianshan (Butian) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Renhua | 女 |
| Cantonese | Lechang | 女 |
| Cantonese | Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Sihui | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guangning | 女 |
| Cantonese | Deqing | 女 |
| Cantonese | Huaiji | 女 |
| Cantonese | Fengkai (Nanfeng) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 女 |
| Cantonese | Xinxing | 女 |
| Cantonese | Luoding | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yunan (Pingtai) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 桓仔, 妹仔 |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 女 |
| Cantonese | Maoming (Xinpo) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang | 女 |
| Cantonese | Wuchuan (Wuyang) | 康女兒, 夫娘儂 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 女 |
| Cantonese | Wuzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Yulin | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Lianzhou) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guiping | 女 |
| Cantonese | Mengshan (Xihe) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Guigang (Nanjiang) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Beiliu (Tangliao) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Baise | 女 |
| Cantonese | Bobai | 女 |
| Cantonese | Lingshan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Pubei | 女 |
| Cantonese | Qinzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Beihai | 女 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Nankang) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Yingpan) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 女, 妹仔 |
| Cantonese | Ningming | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hengzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hezhou (Pumen, Babu) | 女仔 |
| Cantonese | Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Danzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 女 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 女 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 女, 姑娘 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 女 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 女, 妹仔 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 妹仔 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Dabu (Xihe) | 妹兒, 女 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 阿女 |
| Hakka | Huiyang | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 妹仔 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 妹主 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 妹主 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Heyuan (Bendihua) | 阿女 |
| Hakka | Wengyuan | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 妹仔 |
| Hakka | Liannan | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 女 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 妹 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 妹仔, 阿女 |
| Hakka | Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan) | 阿女 |
| Hakka | Changting | 妹子, 女 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Yanqian) | 女哩 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 妹子娘 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 女 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 女, 女子 |
| Hakka | Ningdu | 女 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 女, 女子 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 女 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 女 |
| Hakka | Tonggu (Sandu) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Ganzhou (Panlong) | 女 |
| Hakka | Dayu | 女哩 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 妹仔, 妹子 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 妹仔, 妹子 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 妹仔, 妹子 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 妹, 妹子, 細妹 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 妹仔, 妹子 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 阿女 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Yangxi (Tangkou) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Yangchun (Sanjia) | 女 |
| Hakka | Xinyi (Sihe) | 女 |
| Hakka | Xinyi (Qianpai) | 女 |
| Hakka | Gaozhou (Xindong) | 女 |
| Hakka | Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai) | 女 |
| Hakka | Huazhou (Xin'an) | 女子 |
| Hakka | Lianjiang (Shijiao) | 妹𧊅, 女子 |
| Hakka | Lianjiang (Qingping) | 女 |
| Hakka | Mengshan (Xihe) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Luchuan | 女 |
| Hakka | Luchuan (Daqiao) | 女 |
| Hakka | Bobai (Shahe) | 女 |
| Hakka | Beiliu (Tang'an) | 妹 |
| Hakka | Mashan (Pianlian) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Bao'an) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 妹哩 |
| Hakka | Kuala Lumpur (Dabu) | 妹 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 妹子 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 妹子 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 女 |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 女 |
| Huizhou | Huangshan (Tunxi) | 囡, 囡囝 |
| Huizhou | Xiuning | 囡兒 |
| Huizhou | Yixian | 囡兒 |
| Huizhou | Qimen | 女, 女兒 |
| Huizhou | Wuyuan | 女, 女兒, 囡 |
| Huizhou | Fuliang | 女崽 |
| Huizhou | Dexing | 𡚴姑 |
| Huizhou | Jingde | 女伲 |
| Huizhou | Shitai (Xianyu) | 女兒 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 閨女, 姑娘, 妮子 |
| Jin | Pingyao | 閨女, 女子 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 閨女 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 閨女, 女子 |
| Jin | Zhangjiakou | 閨女 |
| Jin | Handan | 閨女 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 阿娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou (Dikou) | 娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 阿娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Zhenghe | 阿娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Zhenghe (Zhenqian) | 娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 阿娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Wuyishan | 阿娘囝 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 阿娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou (Changle) | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Yongtai | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Pingnan | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Fu'an | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Ningde | 諸母囝 |
| Eastern Min | Shouning | 諸母囝 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 諸娘囝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 諸母囝 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 諸娘囝 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 查某囝, 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 查某仔, 灶雞 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Changtai) | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Pinghe | 查某囝, 查某仔 Xiazhai, Jiufeng, Luxi |
| Southern Min | Zhangpu | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Dongshan | 查囝 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 查某囡仔, 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 查某囡仔 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 查某囝, 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 查某仔, 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 查某仔 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 阿使 |
| Southern Min | Pingnan (Shangdu) | 女 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 查某囝, 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 查某囝, 走囝 |
| Southern Min | Pontianak (Teochew) | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 查某囝 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 查某囝, 查囝 |
| Southern Min | Qionghai | 查某囝 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 嬸娘囝 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 子囝 |
| Central Min | Yong'an | 娘囝 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 中母囝 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 女 |
| Northern Pinghua | Guilin (Dahe) | 女 |
| Shehua | Fu'an | 女 |
| Shehua | Fuding | 女 |
| Shehua | Luoyuan | 女 |
| Shehua | Sanming | 女 |
| Shehua | Shunchang | 女 |
| Shehua | Hua'an | 妹仔 |
| Shehua | Guixi (Zhangping) | 女 |
| Shehua | Cangnan | 女 |
| Shehua | Jingning (Hexi) | 女 |
| Shehua | Lishui | 女 |
| Shehua | Longyou | 女 |
| Shehua | Chaozhou | 女 |
| Shehua | Fengshun | 女 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 囡兒, 囡 dated, 囡兒大細 dated, 小鬼丫頭 endearing |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 丫頭 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 囡兒 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 囡兒 |
| Wu | Danyang | 女兒 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 女兒 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 囡 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 奶兒 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 囡兒, 囡, 女兒 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 女, 妹子 |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | 女, 妹唧 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 女 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 女 |
| Xiang | Quanzhou | 女崽 |
| Xiangnan Tuhua | Jiangyong | 女 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 女朋友, 女友 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 女朋友 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 女朋友, 女友, 馬子 humorous or derogatory |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 女朋友 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 女朋友 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 女娃子, 女娃娃, 女娃兒, 盤子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 𧊅 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 女朋友, 攀西 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 女朋友, 女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 女朋友, 女友, 女, 女女, 菜 derogatory |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 女朋友, 女 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 皮油 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 妹子朋友, 女朋友 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 姼仔 GT |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 好的, 相好, 女朋友, 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Zhoushan | 女朋友 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 妹子 |
| Note | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 疙瘩, 疙瘩包 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 皮蛋, 十二 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 十二, 圈 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 圈子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 皮蛋, 皮球, 球蛋 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 皮蛋, 圈子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 皮蛋, 蛋, 環, 婆婆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 蛋, 蛋蛋 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 悶, 丘 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 皮蛋 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 皮蛋 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 女 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 女 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 敏 |
| Cantonese | Nanning (Tanka) | 文 |
| Cantonese | Wuzhou | 敏 |
| Cantonese | Yulin | 敏 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 皮蛋 |
| Gan | Pengze | 箍 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 皮蛋 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 蛋, 皮蛋架架 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 圈子 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 皮蛋 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 圈兒 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | Q, 卵 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 箍, 𡚸, 妹 |
| Southern Min | Puning | 箍 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 皮蛋 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 皮蛋 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 蛋, 皮蛋 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 皮蛋, 蛋 |

##### Compounds

* 一男半女 (yīnánbànnǚ)
* 丁女
* 丈夫女
* 下女 (xiànǚ)
* 三男兩女 / 三男两女
* 三男四女
* 上門女婿 / 上门女婿
* 么女 (yāonǚ)
* 仕女 (shìnǚ)
* 仙女 (xiānnǚ)
* 仙女山 (Xiānnǚshān)
* 佚女
* 侍女 (shìnǚ)
* 使女 (shǐnǚ)
* 信女 (xìnnǚ)
* 倩女
* 倡女
* 修女 (xiūnǚ)
* 假女
* 兒女 / 儿女 (érnǚ)
* 內女 / 内女
* 兩娘女 / 两娘女
* 列女
* 剩女 (shèngnǚ)
* 北邙鄉女 / 北邙乡女
* 同人女
* 吧女 (bānǚ)
* 吧托女
* 商女 (shāngnǚ)
* 士女 (shìnǚ)
* 大男大女
* 天台女
* 天女 (tiānnǚ)
* 女丈夫
* 女丑
* 女中 (nǚzhōng)
* 女主 (nǚzhǔ)
* 女乘務員 / 女乘务员
* 女事 (nǚshì)
* 女人
* 女伎
* 女伶
* 女伴 (nǚbàn)
* 女低音 (nǚdīyīn)
* 女侍 (nǚshì)
* 女修士
* 女修道
* 女修道張 / 女修道张
* 女修道院
* 女傑 / 女杰
* 女傭 / 女佣 (nǚyōng)
* 女僕 / 女仆 (nǚpú)
* 女僧
* 女儐相 / 女傧相 (nǚbīnxiàng)
* 女優 / 女优 (nǚyōu)
* 女兄
* 女先
* 女光棍
* 女兒 / 女儿 (nǚ'ér)
* 女公
* 女兵
* 女冠
* 女功
* 女博士
* 女友 (nǚyǒu)
* 女叔
* 女口
* 女史 (nǚshǐ)
* 女同胞
* 女君
* 女四書 / 女四书
* 女國 / 女国
* 女垣
* 女士 (nǚshì)
* 女大不中留 (nǚ dà bù zhōng liú)
* 女大十八變 / 女大十八变
* 女大難留 / 女大难留
* 女大須嫁 / 女大须嫁
* 女夷
* 女奴 (nǚnú)
* 女妐
* 女妹
* 女娃 (nǚwá)
* 女姪 / 女侄
* 女娘 (nǚniáng)
* 女婢 (nǚbì)
* 女婿
* 女媒
* 女媧 / 女娲 (Nǚwā)
* 女嫁男婚
* 女嬰 / 女婴 (nǚyīng)
* 女子 (nǚzǐ)
* 女孩 (nǚhái)
* 女孫 / 女孙
* 女學 / 女学
* 女宗
* 女官 (nǚguān)
* 女室
* 女客
* 女家 (nǚjiā)
* 女宮 / 女宫
* 女宿 (Nǚxiù)
* 女將 / 女将 (nǚjiàng)
* 女工 (nǚgōng)
* 女巫 (nǚwū)
* 女市
* 女師 / 女师 (nǚshī)
* 女床
* 女店員 / 女店员
* 女廁 / 女厕 (nǚcè)
* 女廚 / 女厨
* 女弟 (nǚdì)
* 女強人 / 女强人 (nǚqiángrén)
* 女御 (nǚyù)
* 女德
* 女性 (nǚxìng)
* 女戎
* 女戶 / 女户
* 女房東 / 女房东
* 女扮男裝 / 女扮男装
* 女扮男身
* 女招的
* 女排 (nǚpái)
* 女方 (nǚfāng)
* 女星
* 女曰雞鳴 / 女曰鸡鸣
* 女書 / 女书 (Nǚshū)
* 女朋友
* 女校 (nǚxiào)
* 女樂 / 女乐
* 女權 / 女权 (nǚquán)
* 女歧
* 女武神
* 女氣 / 女气 (nǚqi)
* 女流 (nǚliú)
* 女牆 / 女墙 (nǚqiáng)
* 女牢
* 女犯
* 女王 (nǚwáng)
* 女班頭 / 女班头
* 女生 (nǚshēng)
* 女用內衣 / 女用内衣
* 女男
* 女皇 (nǚhuáng)
* 女監 / 女监 (nǚjiān)
* 女直 (Nǚzhí)
* 女真 (Nǚzhēn)
* 女眷 (nǚjuàn)
* 女神 (nǚshén)
* 女禍 / 女祸 (nǚhuò)
* 女秀才
* 女科
* 女童 (nǚtóng)
* 女管家 (nǚguǎnjiā)
* 女紀 / 女纪
* 女紅 / 女红 (nǚgōng)
* 女給 / 女给
* 女織男耕 / 女织男耕
* 女繼承人 / 女继承人
* 女聲 / 女声 (nǚshēng)
* 女聯會 / 女联会
* 女舍監 / 女舍监
* 女色 (nǚsè)
* 女花
* 女落子
* 女蘿 / 女萝 (nǚluó)
* 女裝 / 女装 (nǚzhuāng)
* 女襯衫 / 女衬衫 (nǚchènshān)
* 女角
* 女誡 / 女诫
* 女謁 / 女谒
* 女警 (nǚjǐng)
* 女護士 / 女护士
* 女貌郎才
* 女貞酒 / 女贞酒
* 女賓 / 女宾 (nǚbīn)
* 女起解
* 女身
* 女車 / 女车
* 女轎 / 女轿
* 女郎 (nǚláng)
* 女酒
* 女錢 / 女钱
* 女長須嫁 / 女长须嫁
* 女閭 / 女闾
* 女陰 / 女阴 (nǚyīn)
* 女陪堂
* 女隸 / 女隶
* 女青年會 / 女青年会
* 女鞋
* 女高 (nǚgāo)
* 女魃
* 奼女 / 姹女
* 妓女 (jìnǚ)
* 妖女 (yāonǚ)
* 妻女 (qīnǚ)
* 姪女 / 侄女 (zhínǚ)
* 婦女 / 妇女 (fùnǚ)
* 娼女 (chāngnǚ)
* 婢女 (bìnǚ)
* 媛女
* 婺女
* 嫁女 (jiànǚ)
* 嬌女 / 娇女 (jiāonǚ)
* 嬖女
* 子女 (zǐnǚ)
* 孝女 (xiàonǚ)
* 孤女 (gūnǚ)
* 季女
* 孟姜女 (Mèngjiāngnǚ)
* 孫女 / 孙女 (sūnnǚ)
* 宅女 (zháinǚ)
* 宗女
* 宦女
* 室女 (shìnǚ)
* 宮女 / 宫女 (gōngnǚ)
* 寒女
* 實女 / 实女
* 寡女
* 寸男尺女
* 小女 (xiǎonǚ)
* 少女 (shàonǚ)
* 工女
* 帝女
* 幼女 (yòunǚ)
* 彭女山
* 從女 / 从女
* 怨女 (yuànnǚ)
* 息女 (xīnǚ)
* 愛女 / 爱女 (àinǚ)
* 才女 (cáinǚ)
* 扣女
* 拖兒帶女 / 拖儿带女
* 拖男帶女 / 拖男带女
* 拖男挈女
* 拖男挾女 / 拖男挟女
* 攜男抱女 / 携男抱女
* 攜男挈女 / 携男挈女
* 暖女
* 有女同車 / 有女同车
* 有女懷春 / 有女怀春
* 榜女
* 檀郎謝女 / 檀郎谢女
* 次女 (cìnǚ)
* 欺男霸女 (qīnánbànǚ)
* 歌女 (gēnǚ)
* 歸女 / 归女
* 母女 (mǔnǚ)
* 河女之章
* 海女
* 浣女
* 淑女 (shūnǚ)
* 游女
* 港女 (gǎngnǚ)
* 烈女 (liènǚ)
* 煙花女 / 烟花女 (yānhuānǚ)
* 熟女 (shúnǚ)
* 燕女
* 父女 (fùnǚ)
* 牛女
* 狐女
* 獨生女 / 独生女 (dúshēngnǚ)
* 玄女 (Xuánnǚ)
* 王女 (wángnǚ)
* 玉女 (yùnǚ)
* 生兒育女 / 生儿育女 (shēng'éryùnǚ)
* 生男育女
* 甥女 (shēngnǚ)
* 男唱女隨 / 男唱女随
* 男女 (nánnǚ)
* 男婚女嫁
* 男婚女聘
* 男媒女妁
* 男尊女卑 (nánzūnnǚbēi)
* 男左女右 (nánzuǒnǚyòu)
* 男歡女愛 / 男欢女爱 (nánhuānnǚ'ài)
* 男男女女 (nánnánnǚnǚ)
* 男盜女娼 / 男盗女娼 (nándàonǚchāng)
* 男耕女織 / 男耕女织 (nángēngnǚzhī)
* 白毛女
* 相女配夫
* 石女 (shínǚ)
* 石女山 (Shínǚshān)
* 神女 (shénnǚ)
* 秀女
* 秦川女
* 稚女
* 童女 (tóngnǚ)
* 節女 / 节女
* 紅女 / 红女
* 紅男綠女 / 红男绿女 (hóngnánlǜnǚ)
* 素女 (Sùnǚ)
* 納女 / 纳女
* 綵女 / 彩女 (cǎinǚ)
* 綠女紅男 / 绿女红男
* 縊女 / 缢女 (yìnǚ)
* 織女 / 织女 (zhīnǚ)
* 繼女 / 继女 (jìnǚ)
* 羅剎女 / 罗刹女
* 美女 (měinǚ)
* 美容女
* 義女 / 义女 (yìnǚ)
* 老女
* 老女歸宗 / 老女归宗
* 聖女貞德 / 圣女贞德 (Shèngnǚ Zhēndé)
* 舞女 (wǔnǚ)
* 茶花女
* 薄命女
* 處女 / 处女
* 蜑女
* 蠶女 / 蚕女
* 衒女
* 裸女 (luǒnǚ)
* 貞女 / 贞女 (zhēnnǚ)
* 貧女分光 / 贫女分光
* 貴女 / 贵女
* 賈女香 / 贾女香
* 賣兒鬻女 / 卖儿鬻女 (mài'éryùnǚ)
* 越女
* 農家女 / 农家女
* 逆女
* 郎才女姿
* 郎才女貌
* 鄰女窺牆 / 邻女窥墙
* 鄭衛之女 / 郑卫之女
* 酒家女
* 酒托女
* 醜女效顰 / 丑女效颦
* 采女 (cǎinǚ)
* 重男輕女 / 重男轻女 (zhòngnánqīngnǚ)
* 鑑湖女俠 / 鉴湖女侠
* 閨女 / 闺女
* 陪唱女 (péichàngnǚ)
* 青女
* 靚女 / 靓女
* 靜女 / 静女
* 養女 / 养女 (yǎngnǚ)
* 餪女 / 𫗬女
* 鬻兒賣女 / 鬻儿卖女
* 魔女 (mónǚ)
* 魯女憂葵 / 鲁女忧葵
* 黃花女 / 黄花女 (huánghuānǚ)
* 點繡女 / 点绣女
* 齊女 / 齐女
* 龍女 / 龙女

##### Descendants

* → Japanese: 女(じょ) (jo)
* → Korean: 여(女) (yeo)
* → Vietnamese: nữ (女)

#### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): nǜ (nü$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄋㄩˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): neoi$^6$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: nǜ
*** Zhuyin: ㄋㄩˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: nyù
*** Wade–Giles: nü$^4$
*** Yale: nyù
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: niuh
*** Palladius: нюй (njuj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ny⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: neoi$^6$
*** Yale: neuih
*** Cantonese Pinyin: noey$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: nêu$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /nɵy̯²²/
* Middle Chinese: nrjoH
Rime :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 娘 (12) |
| Final (韻) | 魚 (22) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 尼據切 |
| Baxter | nrjoH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɳɨʌ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɳiɔ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /niɔ$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɳɨə̆$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /niɔ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /nĭo$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ni̯wo$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | nǜ |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | neoi$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*nraʔ-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*nas/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | nǜ |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ nrjo$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*nraʔ-s/ |
| English | give as a wife |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 女 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 9618 |
| Phonetic component | 女 |
| Rime group | 魚 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 女 |
| Old Chinese | /*nas/ |

##### Definitions

女
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to give one's daughter in marriage; to give as wife
    From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
    Sòng Yōngshì nǜ yú Zhèng Zhuānggōng, yuē Yōng Jí. [Pinyin]
    The officer Yong of Song had married off a daughter, called Yong Ji [雍姞; Yong was the father's clan name (氏); Ji the surname (姓)] to duke Zhuang of Zheng.
    From: Guoyu, circa 4th century BCE
    Yīnxīn fá yǒusū, yǒusū shì yǐ dájǐ nǜ yān. [Pinyin]
    Xin of Yin attacked Yousu; Lord Yousu married off his daughter Da Ji [to him].

### Etymology 2

* For pronunciation and definitions of 女 – see 汝 (“you”). (This character is a variant form of 汝).

### References

* “女”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(First grade kyōiku kanji)
* woman
* daughter

#### Readings

* Go-on: にょ (nyo, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: じょ (jo, Jōyō)
* Kan’yō-on: にょう (nyō, Jōyō $^†$)
* Kun: おんな (onna, 女, Jōyō)、め (me, 女, Jōyō)、おうな (ōna, 女)、おな (ona, 女)、おなあ (onā, 女)、むすめ (musume, 女)、なんじ (nanji, 女)
* Nanori: おな (ona)、た (ta)、つき (tsuki)、な (na)

#### Compounds

* 女(じょ)王(おう) (joō), 女(じょう)王(おう) (jōō), 女(にょ)王(おう) (nyoō, “queen”)
* 女(じょ)医(い) (joi, “female doctor”)
* 少(しょう)女(じょ) (shōjo, “young girl, style of anime for young women”)
* 女(じょ)系(けい) (jokei, “woman-succession; matrilineal”)
* 女(じょ)傑(けつ) (joketsu, “brave woman”)
* 女(じょ)権(けん) (joken, “women's rights”)
* 女(じょ)史(し) (joshi, “Ms.”)
* 女(じょ)中(ちゅう) (jochū, “maid”)
* 処(しょ)女(じょ) (shojo, “virgin, maiden”)
* 女(じょ)子(し) (joshi, “girl”)
* 女(じょ)児(じ) (joji, “female infant”)
* 女(じょ)神(しん) (joshin)
* 女(じょ)性(せい) (josei, “woman”)
* 女(じょ)声(せい) (josei, “female voice”)
* 女(じょ)婿(せい), 女(じょ)壻(せい) (josei, “son-in-law”)
* 女(じょ)帝(てい) (jotei, “empress”)
* 女(じょ)優(ゆう) (joyū, “actress”)
* 女(じょ)流(りゅう) (joryū, “female”)
* 女(じょ)郎(ろう) (jorō, “prostitute”)
* 女(にょ)官(かん) (nyokan, “court lady”)
* 女(にょ)性(しょう) (nyoshō)
* 女(にょ)将(しょう) (nyoshō, “mistress, hostess”)
* 女(にょ)人(にん) (nyonin, “woman”)
* 女(にょう)房(ぼう) (nyōbō, “wife”)
* 悪(あく)女(じょ) (akujo)
* 王(おう)女(じょ) (ōjo), 王(おう)女(にょ) (ōnyo, “princess”)
* 皇(おう)女(じょ) (ōjo)
* 宮(きゅう)女(じょ) (kyūjo)
* 孝(こう)女(じょ) (kōjo, “filial daughter”)
* 工(こう)女(じょ) (kōjo, “female worker”)
* 皇(こう)女(じょ) (kōjo, “imperial princess”)
* 才(さい)女(じょ) (saijo)
* 子(し)女(じょ) (shijo)
* 二(じ)女(じょ) (jijo)
* 次(じ)女(じょ) (jijo)
* 侍(じ)女(じょ) (jijo)
* 淑(しゅく)女(じょ) (shukujo)
* 信(しん)女(にょ) (shinnyo)
* 仙(せん)女(にょ) (sennyo), 仙(せん)女(じょ) (senjo, “fairy, nymph, elf”)
* 善(ぜん)女(にょ) (zennyo)
** 善(ぜん)男(なん)善(ぜん)女(にょ) (zennan zennyo)
* 息(そく)女(じょ) (sokujo, “daughter”, honorific)
* 男(だん)女(じょ) (danjo)
* 男(だん)尊(そん)女(じょ)卑(ひ) (dansonjohi)
* 痴(ち)女(じょ) (chijo, “slut, female libertine”)
* 長(ちょう)女(じょ) (chōjo, “eldest daughter”)
* 天(てん)女(にょ) (tennyo)
* 東(トン)女(じょ) (tonjo)
* 男(なん)女(にょ) (nannyo)
** 老(ろう)若(にゃく)男(なん)女(にょ) (rōnyaku nannyo)
* 美(び)女(じょ) (bijo, “beauty, belle”)
* 本(ぽん)女(じょ) (ponjo)
* 魔(ま)女(じょ) (majo, “witch”)
* 遊(ゆう)女(じょ) (yūjo)
* 幼(よう)女(じょ) (yōjo)
* 養(よう)女(じょ) (yōjo)
* 老(ろう)女(じょ) (rōjo)
* 女将(おかみ) (okami)
* 女形(おやま) (oyama)
* 貴女(あなた) (anata)
* 海女(あま) (ama)
* 瞽女(ごぜ) (goze)
* 女衒(ぜげん) (zegen)
* 侍女(まかたち), 従女(まかたち) (makatachi)
* 巫女(みこ) (miko)
* 皇女(みこ) (miko)
* 湯女(ゆな) (yuna)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* おんな Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
⟨womi$_1$na⟩ → */womʲina/ → /womʉna/ → /wonːa/ → /onːa/
Shift from Old Japanese womina → omina. See the 女 (omina) entry for further details.
Now one of the standard Japanese words for "a woman".

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) おんな [òńnáꜜ] (Odaka –)
* IPA: [õ̞nːa̠]
* Audio:(file)
* (Kyoto) お​んな [óꜜǹnà] (Kōki)

#### Noun

女(おんな) • (onna)
* a female person
    Antonym: 男 (otoko)
* (specifically) a woman, an adult female
    Antonym: 男 (otoko)
* a wife
    Synonyms: 妻 (tsuma), 女房 (nyōbō)
* a mistress, concubine
    Synonyms: 愛人 (aijin), 情婦 (jōfu), 妾 (mekake)
* a maid
    Synonyms: 下女 (gejo), 女中 (jochū)
* a prostitute
    Synonyms: 淫売婦 (inbaifu), 女郎 (jorō), 売春婦 (baishunfu), 遊女 (yūjo)
* a woman's appearance or quality
* a feminine object
* the object in a pairing which is smaller, gentler, etc. than the other
* (vulgar) girlfriend
    人(ひと)の女(おんな)に手(て)を出(だ)すな！
       Hito no onna ni te o dasuna!
       Don't you fuckin' dare touch someone else's girl!

##### Derived terms

* 女(おんな)し (onnashi)
* 女(おんな)親(おや) (onnaoya, “female parent”)
* 女(おんな)形(がた) (onnagata, “male actor in female role of kabuki”)
* 女(おんな)神(がみ) (onnagami)
* 女(おんな)子(ご) (onnago)
* 女(おんな)心(ごころ) (onna-gokoro, “woman's mind”)
* 女(おんな)坂(ざか) (onnazaka)
* 女(おんな)手(で) (onnade, “female worker”)
* 女(おんな)友達(ともだち) (onna tomodachi, “girlfriend, female friend”)
* 男(おとこ)女(おんな) (otoko-onna)
* 彼女(かのじょ) (kanojo, “girlfriend”, literally “she”)
* 下種(げす)女(おんな) (gesu onna)
* 雪(ゆき)女(おんな) (yuki onna, “snowwoman”)

##### Idioms

* 女(おんな)になる (onna ni naru)
* 女(おんな)を上(あ)げる (onna o ageru)

##### Proverbs

* 女(おんな)氏(うじ)無(な)くして玉(たま)の輿(こし)に乗(の)る (onna ujinakushite tama no koshi ni noru)
* 女(おんな)賢(さか)しくて牛(うし)売(う)り損(そこ)なう (onna sakashikute ushi urisokonau)
* 女(おんな)三界(さんがい)に家(いえ)なし (onna sangai ni ie nashi)
* 女(おんな)三人(さんにん)寄(よ)れば姦(かしま)しい (onna sannin yoreba kashimashī)
* 女(おんな)の足(あし)駄(だ)にて造(つく)れる笛(ふえ)には秋(あき)の鹿(しか)寄(よ)る (onna no ashida ni te tsukureru fue ni wa aki no shika yoru)
* 女(おんな)の一念(いちねん)岩(いわ)をも通(とお)す (onna no ichinen iwa o mo tōsu)
* 女(おんな)の髪(かみ)の毛(け)には大象(たいぞう)も繫(つな)がる (onna no kami no ke ni wa taizō mo tsunagaru)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* おみな Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
⟨womi$_1$na⟩ → */womʲina/ → /omina/
From Old Japanese.
The initial /wo/ expressed "small, youth" and contrasted with /o/ "grown, old" (as in 嫗 (omina, “old woman”)), while the medial /mi/ is cognate with 女 (me, “female, woman”, see below). According to Frellesvig (2010), proto-Japonic /e/ became Old Japanese [je] in final position and [i] elsewhere; analogous with PJ /o/, which became OJ [wo] in final position and [u] elsewhere (though PJ /i/ and /u/ also existed, compare Old Japanese 火's two readings /po/ & /pu/ in Western & Eastern Old Japanese, respectively (Vovin, 2017)).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) おみな [òmíná] (Heiban – [0])
* (Tokyo) おみな [óꜜmìnà] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [o̞mʲina̠]
* (Kyoto) お​みな [óꜜmìnà] (Kōki)

#### Noun

女(おみな) • (omina)
* (archaic) a young woman
* (archaic) a woman

##### Derived terms

* 女郎花(オミナエシ) (ominaeshi), 女郎花(おみなめし) (ominameshi)
* 女(おみな)神(がみ) (ominagami)
* 女(おみな)髪長(かみなが) (omina kaminaga)
* 女(おみな)子(ご) (ominago)
* 東(あずま)女(おみな) (azuma-omina)
* 宮(みや)女(おみな) (miya-omina)

#### Proper noun

女(おみな) • (Omina)
* a female given name

### Etymology 3

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* め Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
⟨me$_1$⟩ → */mʲe/ → /me/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *mia.
Appears to be distinct from 目 (⟨me$_2$⟩ → me, “eye”).

#### Alternative forms

* (wife): 妻
* (female): 雌, 牝

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) め [méꜜ] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [me̞]
* (Kyoto) めー [méé] (Kōki – [0])

#### Noun

女(め) • (me)
* a woman
    Antonym: 男 (o)
    女(め)神(がみ)
       megami
       goddess
* a wife
** c. 890, Taketori Monogatari (page 3)
    ...女(め)の女(をんな)にあづけてやしなはす。
       ...me no onna ni azukete yashinawasu.
       (please add an English translation of this example)
    Synonym: 妻 (tsuma)
    Antonym: 男 (o)
* a female
    Antonym: 男, 牡, 雄 (o)

##### Usage notes

* Used more in compounds than on its own.

##### Derived terms

* 女女(めめ)しい, 女々(めめ)しい (memeshii, “unmanly, effeminate, sissy”)
* 姪(めい) (mei, “niece”)
* 夫婦(めおと) (meoto, “man and wife, married couple”)
* 女(め)親(おや) (meoya, “mother”, archaic)
* 女(め)神(がみ) (megami, “goddess”)
* 女(め)瓦(がわら) (megawara)
* 女木(めぎ) (megi, “female tree; lower or receiving piece of wood in a join”)
* 女(め)君(ぎみ) (megimi): polite term for another person's wife or daughter
* 女子(めこ) (meko, “woman and child; girl”)
* 雌(めす), 牝(めす) (mesu, “female animal”)
* 女(め)滝(だき): in a waterfall with two cataracts, the smaller of the two
* 女(メ)竹(ダケ) (medake, “Pleioblastus simonii”)
* 娶(めと)る (metoru, “get married”)
* 女(め)波(なみ) (menami): the smaller waves
* 婚(めま)く (memaku, “get married”)
* 女(め)の子(こ) (me no ko, “girl; woman”)
* 乳母(めのと) (menoto), 傅(めのと) (menoto, “nanny; wetnurse; foster parent”)
* 郎(いらつ)女(め) (iratsume): (archaic) an ancient term of endearment for referring to a woman or girl
* 浮(う)かれ女(め), 浮(うかれ)女(め) (ukareme, “female entertainer or prostitute”)
* 采(うね)女(め) (uneme)
* 乙(おと)女(め) (otome, “maiden”)
* 姑(しゅうとめ) (shūtome, “mother-in-law”)
* 手弱(たおや)女(め) (taoyame), 手弱(たわや)女(め) (tawayame)
* 端(はした)女(め) (hashitame, “servant girl”)
* 姫(ひめ) (hime, “princess”)
* 日(ひる)孁(め), 日(ひる)霊(め), 日(ひる)女(め) (Hirume)
* 娘(むすめ) (musume, “daughter”)
* 嫁(よめ) (yome, “bride”)

### Etymology 4

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* おうな Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spelling
* 嬢
⟨womi$_1$na⟩ → */womʲina/ → /womʉna/ → /woũna/ → /woːna/ → /oːna/
Variant shift from Old Japanese womina → omina (see above).

#### Noun

女(おうな) • (ōna)
* (archaic) a young woman

### Etymology 5

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* おな Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
/wonːa/ → /wona/ → /ona/
Shift from onna (see above).

#### Noun

女(おな) • (ona)
* (obsolete) a young woman

### Etymology 6

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* おなあ Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
/wona/ → /wonaː/ → /onaː/
Long-pronounced form of ona (see above).

#### Noun

女(おなあ) • (onā)
* (obsolete) a young woman

### Etymology 7

* Kanji in this term
* 女
* じょ Grade: 1
* kan'on
/dɨo/ → /d͡ʑo/
From Middle Chinese 女 (MC nrjoX|nrjoH).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) じょ [jóꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [d͡ʑo̞]

#### Noun

女(じょ) • (jo)
* a woman, especially an actress or a prostitute

#### Proper noun

女(じょ) • (Jo)
* (Chinese astronomy) the Girl, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions
    Synonyms: うるき星 (Urukiboshi), 女宿 (Joshuku)
    Hypernyms: 二十八宿, 玄武

#### Suffix

女(じょ) • (-jo)
* (historical) suffixed to names of female figures in the Edo period

### See also

* 雌(めす) (mesu)
* 嫗(おんな) (onna)
* くノ一(いち) (kunoichi)

### References

* 1 2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* 1 2 3 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
* 1 2 “おんな［をんな］ 【女】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
* ↑ womina at OxFord-NINJAL Corpus of Old Japanese
* 1 2 3 “おみな［をみな］ 【女】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
* ↑ Frellesvig, Bjarke, Stephen Wright Horn, et al. (eds.) (2023) “Old Japanese mye”, in Oxford-NINJAL Corpus of Old Japanese‎
* 1 2 “め 【雌・女・牝・妻】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
* ↑ Horiuchi, Hideaki with Ken Akiyama (1997) Taketori Monogatari, Ise Monogatari, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
* ↑ “じょ［ヂョ］ 【女】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 女 (MC nrjoX|nrjoH).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 녕〯 (Yale: nyě) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 녕〮 (Yale: nyé) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 녀 (nye)$^訓$ (Yale: nye) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

#### Hanja

Wikisource 女 (eumhun 계집 녀 (gyejip nyeo), word-initial (South Korea) 계집 여 (gyejip yeo))
* hanja form of 녀/여 (“female; woman”)

#### Compounds

* 여체 (女體, yeoche)
* 여인 (女人, yeoin)
* 여자 (女子, yeoja)
* 여장 (女裝, yeojang)
* 여진 (女眞, yeojin)
* 여성 (女性, yeoseong)
* 여신 (女神, yeosin)
* 여왕 (女王, yeowang)
* 여동생 (女同生, yeodongsaeng)
* 여학생 (女學生, yeohaksaeng)
* 차녀 (次女, chanyeo)
* 창녀 (娼女, changnyeo)
* 처녀 (處女, cheonyeo)
* 미녀 (美女, minyeo)
* 손녀 (孫女, sonnyeo)
* 소녀 (少女, sonyeo)
* 소녀 (小女, sonyeo)
* 수녀 (修女, sunyeo)
* 숙녀 (淑女, sungnyeo)
* 양녀 (養女, yangnyeo)
* 처녀막 (處女膜, cheonyeomak)
* 약혼녀 (約婚女, yakhonnyeo)
* 남존여비 (男尊女卑, namjonyeobi)
* 중남경녀 (重男輕女, jungnamgyeongnyeo)

### Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 女 / 汝 (MC nyoX).

#### Hanja

女 (eumhun 너 여 (neo yeo))
* (literary Chinese) hanja form of 여 (“you”)

### References

* 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

女: Hán Việt readings: nữ (尼(ni)呂(lữ)切(thiết)), nhữ (忍(nhẫn)與(dữ)切(thiết))
女: Nôm readings: nợ, nữa, nữ, nỡ, nớ, nhỡ, lỡ, nửa, nhớ, nự
* chữ Hán form of nữ (“female”).
* chữ Nôm form of nhớ (“to remember, to miss”).
* chữ Nôm form of nỡ (“to be willing”).
* chữ Nôm form of nữa (“furthermore”).
* chữ Nôm form of nợ (“to owe; debt”).
* chữ Nôm form of nửa (“half”).

#### Compounds

* 一男曰有，一女曰無 (nhất nam viết hữu, thập nữ viết vô)
* 伎女 (kỹ nữ)
* 侍女 (thị nữ)
* 信女 (tín nữ)
* 兒女 (nhi nữ)
* 士女 (sĩ nữ)
* 女儿 (nữ nhi)
* 女士 (nữ sĩ)
* 女妝 (nữ trang)
* 女娲 (Nữ Oa)
* 女子 (nữ tử)
* 女將 (nữ tướng)
* 女工 (nữ công)
* 女性 (nữ tính)
* 女權 (nữ quyền)
* 女正 (nữ chính)
* 女流 (nữ lưu)
* 女王 (nữ vương)
* 女生 (nữ sinh)
* 女界 (nữ giới)
* 女皇 (nữ hoàng)
* 女眞 (Nữ Chân)
* 女神 (nữ thần)
* 女郎 (nữ lang)
* 婦女 (phụ nữ)
* 嬌女 (kiều nữ)
* 孫女 (Tôn Nữ)
* 宮女 (cung nữ)
* 少女 (thiếu nữ)
* 庶女 (thứ nữ)
* 淑女 (thục nữ)
* 烈女 (liệt nữ)
* 玉女 (ngọc nữ)
* 男女 (nam nữ)
* 男女授受不親 (nam nữ thụ thụ bất thân)
* 男尊女卑 (nam tôn nữ ti)
* 男清女秀 (nam thanh nữ tú)
* 男食如虎，女食如貓 (nam thực như hổ, nữ thực như miêu)
* 素女 (tố nữ)
* 美女 (mĩ nữ)
* 腐女 (hủ nữ)
* 貞女 (trinh nữ)
* 賤女 (tiện nữ)
* 重男輕女 (trọng nam khinh nữ)
* 長女 (trưởng nữ)
* 閨女 (khuê nữ)
* 魔女 (ma nữ)

### References

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Trần (2004).
* 1 2 3 4 5 Bonet (1899).
* 1 2 3 4 5 Génibrel (1898).
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hồ (1976).
* 1 2 3 Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).