ねえ、そこの女の子
nē, soko no onnanoko
The English phrase "hey girl" can be translated into Japanese as ねえ、そこの女の子 (nē, soko no onnanoko).
This phrase is an informal way to get the attention of a girl or young woman. This specific phrasing is used to identify a person by their location relative to the speaker when they are not close enough to use a name.
How do you pronounce it?
nē, soko no onnanoko
Did you know?
- The phrase そこの (soko no) functions like a physical finger pointing at someone, which can feel more aggressive in Japanese than the English equivalent.
- Because 女の子 (onnanoko) refers specifically to a child or a very young person, using it for a woman in her twenties could lead to an awkward misunderstanding.
- If you use this phrase to get a stranger's attention, you might be perceived as someone from a manga or a poorly dubbed movie, rather than a natural speaker.
Example conversation
Kenta sees Misaki walking away with her umbrella.
- 美咲 Misakiねえ、そこの女の子！待って！Nee, soko no onnanoko! Matte!Hey girl! Wait!
- 健太 Kentaはい？誰ですか？Hai? Dare desu ka?Yes? Who are you?
- 美咲 Misaki傘を忘れてるよ、美咲。Kasa o wasureteru yo, Misaki.You forgot your umbrella, Misaki.
- 健太 Kentaあ、本当だ！ありがとう！A, hontou da! Arigatou!Oh, you're right! Thanks!
