Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 彼女 | kanojo | [ka̠no̞ʑo̞] (narrow) | |
| あの方 | ano kata | [a̠no̞ka̠ta̠] (narrow) | polite |
| あの人 | ano hito | [a̠no̞çi̥to̞] (narrow) | feminine, masculine |
| 奴 | yatsu | impolite, person |
While 彼女 means 'she', in informal contexts it leans more toward meaning 'girlfriend'. Because of this potential ambiguity, Japanese speakers often prefer using あの人 (that person) to refer to a woman.
Which one should you use?
彼女 can mean both 'she' and 'girlfriend' depending on the context. To avoid this ambiguity when referring to a woman, あの人 (that person) is a common alternative. While あの人 can be used for both masculine and feminine subjects, あの方 is its polite version. In contrast, 奴 is a derogatory or very informal way to refer to a person, regardless of gender.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
あの方 is the polite version used when referring to someone of higher status or in formal settings. あの人 is a neutral way to say 'that person'. 彼女 is common but carries the 'girlfriend' connotation in informal settings. 奴 is impolite and should be used with caution.
How do you pronounce it?
kanojo
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use 彼女 when they mean 'she'. It is more natural to use a person's name or a demonstrative like あの人 to refer to a woman.
Did you know?
- The word 彼女 is actually a modern invention influenced by Western languages. It only began to be used as a pronoun to mirror the English 'she' during the late 19th century.
- While 奴 is often translated as 'guy' or 'fellow', it can be used to refer to a woman in a very rough or derogatory way.
Examples in context
- 彼女は内股だ。She is pigeon-toed.This sentence is useful for describing physical traits using 彼女.Tatoeba #87657 by bunbuku, translation #316051 by CK
- 彼女は短気だ。She has a hot temper.This sentence is useful for describing personality using 彼女.Tatoeba #87738 by bunbuku, translation #310572 by CK
- 彼女は怒った。She got angry.This sentence is useful for describing an action using 彼女.Tatoeba #87752 by bunbuku, translation #315955 by CK
- 彼女は優雅な人です。She is an elegant person.
- あの学生の彼女はとてもかわいいですね。That student's girlfriend is very cute, isn't she?
- 4181 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are talking about a mutual friend.
- 結衣 Yui彼女はもう来た？Kanojo wa mō kita?Has she arrived yet?
- 大翔 Hirotoいいえ、まだ来ていないよ。Iie, mada kite inai yo.No, she isn't here yet.
- 結衣 Yui彼女はいつも遅いね。Kanojo wa itsumo osoi ne.She is always late, isn't she?
- 大翔 Hirotoたぶん道に迷ったんだろうね。Tabun michi ni mayotta ndarō ne.She probably got lost.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “she” translations and entries 彼女, あの方, あの人, 奴, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries あの人, 彼女, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
