Onna

Onna is a basic Japanese noun meaning “woman” or “female person.” It is written with the kanji 女 or, in everyday writing, in kana as おんな. In modern Japanese, onna is the native, kun’yomi reading and is commonly used in speech to refer to adult women in general.

Linguistic notes and readings

The character 女 has multiple readings. As a standalone word meaning woman, it is read as onna. In compounds and built terms, the same character is often read with on’yomi readings, such as jo in josei (女性, “woman, female”) and joshi (女子, “girl; female student”). These on’yomi forms are common in formal or compound terms, while onna itself remains a familiar, everyday word.

Usage and nuance

Onna is a neutral term for an adult woman but can carry informal or casual connotations depending on context and tone. It is widely understood and used in ordinary conversation, literature, and media. For more formal or clinical contexts, speakers may prefer josei or use specific phrases like onnako (female person) or onna no hito (a woman).

Related terms and cultural notes

Related words include onna no hito, meaning a woman; onnagata, a male actor who specializes in female roles in traditional Japanese theater; and onnako or onnanoko, which refer to a girl or young female child. The term reflects gendered language in Japanese, whereClear distinctions exist between casual, formal, and specialized vocabulary for describing women.

See also: otoko (man), josei (woman/female), joshi (girl/woman), onnagata.