慰安婦
ianfu[iã̠ɰ̃ɸɯ̟]
The English phrase "comfort woman" is translated into Japanese as 慰安婦 (ianfu). If unsure, use 慰安婦. Wiktionary also lists 従軍慰安婦 (jūgun'ianfu).
Meaning: forced prostitute (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 慰安婦 | ianfu | [iã̠ɰ̃ɸɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 従軍慰安婦 | jūgun'ianfu | [d͡ʑɨːɡɯ̟̃ɰ̃iã̠ɰ̃ɸɯ̟] (narrow) |
慰安婦 is the standard term used in Japanese historical and political contexts to refer to women forced into sexual servitude by the Imperial Japanese Army.
Which one should you use?
While 慰安婦 is the standard term, 従軍慰安婦 (jūgun'ianfu) specifically refers to "military comfort women" by adding the prefix 従軍 (jūgun), which means "joining the army".
How do you pronounce it?
ianfu
Did you know?
- The word 慰安 in 慰安婦 is still used today in the phrase 慰安旅行 (ian ryokō), which refers to a relaxing 'incentive trip' or 'reward vacation' for company employees.
- While the term 慰安 (ian) evokes a sense of emotional solace in modern Japanese, its use in the term 慰安婦 specifically refers to the euphemistic language used by the military at the time.
- The word 婦 in 慰安婦 is a kanji character that is also used in common words for 'wife' or 'lady', such as in 主婦 (shufu, housewife).
Examples in context
- 戦時下の日本における慰安婦制度についてAbout the comfort women system in wartime Japan
- 慰安婦に関する歴史を学ぶ。Ianfu ni kansuru rekishi o manabu.I study the history regarding comfort women.
- 慰安婦の問題は非常に深刻だ。Ianfu no mondai wa hijō ni shinkoku da.The issue of comfort women is very serious.
- 彼女は慰安婦として動員された。Kanojo wa ianfu to shite dōin sareta.She was mobilized as a comfort woman.
Example conversation
Two university students are discussing a history lecture.
- 結衣 Yui今日の講義は何についてだった？Kyō no kōgi wa nan ni tsuite datta?What was today's lecture about?
- 蓮 Ren慰安婦の歴史についてだったよ。Ianfu no rekishi ni tsuite datta yo.It was about the history of comfort women.
- 結衣 Yuiそれはとても難しいテーマだね。Sore wa totemo muzukashii tēma da ne.That is a very difficult theme, isn't it?
- 蓮 Renうん、深く考える必要がある。Un, fukaku kangaeru hitsuyō ga aru.Yeah, it is something we need to think about deeply.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comfort woman” translations and entries 慰安婦, 従軍慰安婦, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
