Key Facts
- Hangul: 여자; Revised Romanization: yeoja
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral; 여성 is the more formal/written word.
Woman in Korean: What Does 여자 Mean?
여자 is the neutral word for a woman. 여성 is the more formal, written counterpart used in news and on forms. The counterpart in the gender pair is 남자. Because the second sense is "female", 여자 also modifies other nouns, as in 여자아이 (girl).
How Do You Pronounce 여자?
The romanization is yeoja, two syllables, yeo-ja.
Example Sentences with 여자
저 사람은 여자예요.
jeo sarameun yeojayeyo.
That person is a woman.
An identification sentence ending in 예요, the copula after a vowel. 저 사람 means "that person", so the sentence labels someone as female.
여자가 책을 읽어요.
yeojaga chaegeul ilgeoyo.
The woman is reading a book.
Here 여자 is the subject. 가 attaches, and the verb 읽어요 completes a scene of reading.
여자 화장실은 이쪽이에요.
yeoja hwajangsireun ijjogieyo.
The women's restroom is this way.
A practical sign line. 화장실 is the restroom, and 이쪽 gives the direction, "this way".
Common Phrases with 여자
여자 works as a modifier. 여자답다 is a descriptive verb (an adjective in English terms) meaning "to be feminine".
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 여자 화장실 | women's restroom |
| 여자아이 | girl |
| 여자답다 | to be feminine |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: addressing a woman you do not know as 여자.
Correct: a title that fits the setting, such as 손님 for a customer in a shop or restaurant. 아가씨 ("young lady") also exists, but it sounds dated and can come across as condescending, so avoid it with strangers.
여자 Compared with Its Neighbours
The formal term and the counterpart are the key partners.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 여성 | female (formal) | 여성 is the formal/written term used in news and on forms. |
| 남자 | man | 남자 is the counterpart. |
Where Does 여자 Come From?
The hanja are 女子 (女 woman + 子 child or person).
Finding the Restroom at a Station
A traveler asks a station employee for directions. Both speakers use polite endings. Here 여자 identifies which restroom the traveler needs; it does not address the employee.
Traveler
여자 화장실이 어디예요?
Yeoja hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?
Where is the women’s restroom?
Employee
저쪽에 있어요.
Jeojjoge isseoyo.
It’s over there.
Traveler
계단 옆이에요?
Gyedan yeopieyo?
Is it next to the stairs?
Employee
네, 맞아요.
Ne, majayo.
Yes, that’s right.
The traveler could be speaking to a man or a woman: 여자 belongs to the restroom name. The answer gives a location rather than repeating that name. 저쪽 means “over there”, while 이쪽 in the earlier example means “this way” or “over here”. These small direction words make the restroom phrase useful beyond reading a sign.
How Do 여자 친구 and 여자친구 Differ?
여자친구 is the usual word for a girlfriend, a romantic partner. Literally its parts are “female” and “friend”, but the combined word carries the relationship meaning. 남자친구 works the same way for a boyfriend. This is a common source of misunderstandings when learners translate “my female friend” one piece at a time.
For a friend who happens to be a woman, 여자 친구 can describe that friendship. In speech, listeners cannot hear a written space, so context still matters. If the relationship matters to your story, make it clear that you are talking about an ordinary friend. Spacing alone cannot explain the relationship to a listener.
여자아이, by contrast, means a girl or female child. The 아이 part supplies the age information. 여자 by itself does not mean “wife”; 아내 is the word you need when identifying your spouse. In a family introduction, choosing the relationship word tells the listener much more than simply saying that someone is a woman.
Where Will You See 여자 and 여성?
여자 화장실 appears on restroom signs, often paired with 남자 화장실. In sports coverage, 여자 can label the women’s event or team. 여자 축구 means women’s football: the phrase names the sporting category rather than a particular player. These uses explain why 여자 appears before another noun so often.
여성 is common in news reports, public information and product categories. 여성복 means women’s clothing, so it is useful when browsing a department store directory. Choosing 여성 does not make a sentence an honorific sentence; it gives the description a more formal tone. A shop assistant can still use everyday 여자 in a polite sentence.
In conversation, a person’s name, role or relationship is often more useful than a gender label. To get a stranger’s attention, 저기요 is a common “excuse me”. Once you have their attention, ask your question. 여자 is useful for describing a person or category, but it does not serve the same social purpose as calling someone by a title.
The phrase 여자답다 in the earlier table describes an idea of being feminine or “woman-like”. It can carry an expectation about how women should behave. Recognizing that implication helps with dialogue in dramas; it is less neutral than simply identifying someone as 여자.
People and Relationship Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 여자아이 | girl | Makes it clear that you mean a child. |
| 여자친구 | girlfriend | Names a romantic relationship. |
| 아내 | wife | Identifies a spouse rather than a gender. |
| 여성복 | women’s clothing | Helps with store signs and shopping categories. |
The relationships vocabulary lesson gives the wider set of words for describing how people are connected.
Quick Self-Test
- On a restroom sign, what does 여자 tell you?
- What relationship does 여자친구 usually name?
- Which is more typical of formal reporting: 여자 or 여성?
Show answers
- It identifies the women’s restroom.
- A girlfriend, meaning a romantic partner.
- 여성. 여자 remains the ordinary everyday word.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "woman" in Korean?
Say 여자 (yeoja).
What is the formal word?
여성 is the more formal, written term, used in news and on forms.
Can I call a stranger 여자?
No. 여자 is a noun that describes someone, not a polite form of address, and calling out to a stranger with it sounds rude.
How do I say "women's restroom"?
Say 여자 화장실.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Relationships vocabulary groups 여자 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add the word to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Related page: Older brother in Korean.
- Related page: Man in Korean.