美人
bijin[bʲiʑĩɴ]
The English phrase "pretty lady" is translated into Japanese as 美人 (bijin).
美人 is used to describe a woman who is physically attractive or beautiful. It functions as a noun referring to a beautiful woman in general. There are several other ways to convey the concept of a "pretty lady" depending on the nuance you want to achieve: きれいな女性 or 美しい女性 are standard ways to say "beautiful woman," while 麗しい女性 is a way to convey "pretty lady." In casual conversation, you might hear キレイな人 to describe a "beautiful person" or "pretty lady," or ステキな女の子 to mean a "lovely girl" or "charming young lady." If you want to describe someone as pretty, stylish and fashionable, you can use イケてる女性.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 美人 is composed of the characters 美 (beautiful) and 人 (person), literally meaning "beautiful person."
Which one should you use?
While "pretty lady" can sometimes be used as a direct address in English, calling someone 美人 directly to their face is rare. Doing so can feel overly formal or objectifying.
How do you pronounce it?
bijin
Did you know?
- The word 'pretty' in Japanese can be expressed using the katakana word キレイ, which originally comes from the word for 'clean'.
- In ancient Chinese texts, the term 美人 was actually a way to refer to a beautiful woman serving in the imperial palace, rather than a general description of beauty.
- The word 美人 can be used in the phrase 美人画 (bijinga) to describe a specific genre of Japanese art focused on depicting beautiful women.
Examples in context
- 彼女はとても美人ですね。Kanojo wa totemo bijin desu ne.She is a very beautiful woman.
- 彼女は街で有名な美人です。Kanojo wa machi de yuumei na bijin desu.She is a famous beauty in town.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are looking at a photo of Misaki's sister.
- 美咲 Misakiこれは私の姉です。Kore wa watashi no ane desu.This is my older sister.
- 陽太 Yotaわあ、すごい美人だね！Wā, sugoi bijin da ne!Wow, she's a real beauty!
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう。嬉しいです。Arigatō. Ureshii desu.Thank you. I'm happy to hear that.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんも美人だよ。Misaki-san mo bijin da yo.You are a pretty lady too, Misaki.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 美人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 美人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
