여자
yeoja[jʌ̹d͡ʑa̠]
The English word "woman" is translated into Korean as 여자 (yeoja). If unsure, use 여자. Wiktionary also lists 여성 (yeoseong) and 계집 (gyejip).
Meaning: adult female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 여자 | yeoja | [jʌ̹d͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 여성 | yeoseong | [jʌ̹sʰʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 계집 | gyejip | [ˈkje̞(ː)d͡ʑip̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈke̞(ː)d͡ʑip̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 여인 | yeoin | [jʌ̹in] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 녀자 | nyeoja | [ɲʌ̹d͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
The terms in Korean refer to an adult female person.
Which one should you use?
여자 is the most common, neutral way to say "woman" in everyday conversation. 여성 is a more formal or clinical term often used in statistics, news or formal documents to mean "female" or "woman". 여인 is a poetic or literary term used to describe a woman, often implying a sense of elegance or romanticism.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
여성 is a formal and neutral term for woman in Korean. 여인 is a poetic or literary term used to describe a woman. 계집 is a highly derogatory or archaic term for a woman and should be avoided in polite conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
녀자 is the spelling used in North Korea, whereas South Korea uses 여자.
How do you pronounce it?
yeoja
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 네 인생에 여자가 있어?Is there a woman in your life?This sentence is useful for asking about the presence of a 여자 in someone's life.Tatoeba #8361437 by Eunhee, translation #1110752 by Scott
- 여자 한 명이 살해당했어.One woman was killed.This sentence is useful for reporting an incident involving a 여자.Tatoeba #8533793 by Eunhee, translation #8510706 by CK
- 저 늙은 여성은 누구인가?Who is that old woman?This sentence is useful for identifying an elderly 여성.Tatoeba #11105644 by intertime, translation #67781 by CK
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are looking at a photo of a group of people.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이 사진에 있는 여자는 누구예요?i sajin-e itneun yeoja-neun nugu-yeyo?Who is the woman in this photo?
- 수빈 Su-bin제 친언니예요.je chin-eonni-yeyo.She is my older sister.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 친절해 보여요.jeongmal chinjeol-hae boyeoyo.She looks very kind.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요, 정말 좋은 여자예요.majayo, jeongmal joeun yeoja-yeyo.That's true, she is a really great woman.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “woman” translations and entries 여자, 여성, 계집, 여인, 녀자, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 계집, 녀자, 여성, 여자, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
