Meaning
娘 means daughter or young woman. In modern Japanese, it refers to one's own daughter or to a young girl in general — capturing youth, femininity, and the parent-child bond.
Structurally, 娘 combines 女 (woman) on the left with 良 (good, fine) on the right. This gives a rough sense of "a fine young woman," though in daily use the kanji simply means daughter or girl, without evaluative weight.
娘 is a Jōyō kanji (常用漢字), expected at the JLPT N2 level. It shows up regularly in literature, family documents, and casual conversation. Its radical 女 (woman) links it to related family kanji: 姉 (older sister), 妹 (younger sister), and 母 (mother).
In classical and literary Japanese, 娘 could refer to any unmarried young woman — not just one's own daughter. This broader sense appears occasionally in historical novels and period dramas.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is ジョウ (jō). Rare in modern speech, it appears mainly in classical texts and a handful of set phrases.
- 老娘 (rōjō) — old woman; found in classical texts
- 娘子軍 (jōshigun) — an all-female group; used humorously for a women's team
Most learners will encounter 娘 almost entirely through its kun'yomi in daily life.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
むすめ (musume) is by far the dominant reading. It is the native Japanese word for daughter or young woman, and the form you will hear and use most.
- 娘 (musume) — daughter; young woman
- 一人娘 (hitori musume) — only daughter
- 娘時 (musume doki) — a young woman's prime years; girlhood at its peak
Common Words & Compounds
娘 appears in a variety of compound words. Here are the most useful ones, grouped by theme:
Family & Relationship Terms
- 娘 (musume) — daughter; young woman
- 一人娘 (hitori musume) — only daughter
- 愛娘 (mana musume) — beloved daughter (affectionate parental term)
Life Stage & Age-Related
- 娘盛り (musume zakari) — a young woman in her prime
- 娘時 (musume doki) — girlhood at its peak
- 小娘 (ko musume) — a little girl; a young, inexperienced girl (can sound condescending)
Descriptive & Character Terms
- 看板娘 (kanban musume) — a shop's attractive young female staff member who draws in customers; the face of a business
- 令嬢 (reijō) — a refined young lady of good family (uses the related kanji 嬢)
Classical / Literary
- 娘子 (jōshi) — young woman (classical)
- 老娘 (rōjō) — old woman (classical)
Example Sentences
これは私の娘です。
Kore wa watashi no musume desu.
This is my daughter.
彼には娘が三人います。
Kare ni wa musume ga san-nin imasu.
He has three daughters.
彼女は村で一番美しい娘だった。
Kanojo wa mura de ichiban utsukushii musume datta.
She was the most beautiful young woman in the village.
娘が来年大学に入ります。
Musume ga rainen daigaku ni hairimasu.
My daughter will enter university next year.
一人娘を大切に育てた。
Hitori musume wo taisetsu ni sodateta.
They raised their only daughter with great care.
その店の看板娘はとても愛想がいい。
Sono mise no kanban musume wa totemo aisō ga ii.
The young woman who draws customers to that shop is very friendly.
娘盛りに一生懸命勉強した。
Musume zakari ni isshōkenmei benkyō shita.
She studied hard during the prime of her youth.
小娘のくせに大人に口答えするな。
Ko musume no kuse ni otona ni kuchigotae suru na.
Don't talk back to adults — you're just a young girl.
彼の愛娘は医者になる夢を持っている。
Kare no mana musume wa isha ni naru yume wo motte iru.
His beloved daughter dreams of becoming a doctor.
その娘は母親にそっくりな顔をしている。
Sono musume wa hahaoya ni sokkuri na kao wo shite iru.
That young woman has a face just like her mother's.
Memory Tip
Split 娘 into its two parts: 女 (woman) on the left and 良 (good) on the right. A parent's thought: "She's a good woman — my daughter." Woman + good = daughter.
For the reading, むすめ (musume) has a soft, unhurried sound — try saying it slowly: moo-sue-meh. It fits the warmth of the word itself.