When you're learning Japanese at an A2 level, understanding common pronouns like 彼女 (kanojo) is really useful. It means 'she' or 'her', just like in English. But be careful, it can also mean 'girlfriend'!
You'll often hear it in conversations when people are talking about a female friend, family member, or partner. It’s a good word to know for describing people and relationships.
When used as a pronoun, 彼女 (kanojo) means 'she' or 'her'. However, it's not as commonly used as 'she' or 'her' in English, and often the context or topic of conversation is enough to understand who is being referred to.
Interestingly, 彼女 (kanojo) can also mean 'girlfriend'. This is a very common usage, so be mindful of the context to differentiate between 'she/her' and 'girlfriend'. For instance, saying 「私の彼女」 (watashi no kanojo) clearly means 'my girlfriend', whereas 「彼女は学生です」 (kanojo wa gakusei desu) means 'she is a student'.
§ Understanding 彼女 as 'Girlfriend' vs. 'She/Her'
The Japanese word 彼女 (kanojo) can mean both 'she/her' and 'girlfriend'. This dual meaning often confuses English speakers. The key to avoiding mistakes is context.
§ Mistake 1: Assuming 'Girlfriend' in All Situations
A common error is to always translate 彼女 as 'girlfriend'. While it *can* mean girlfriend, it's frequently used as a pronoun for 'she' or 'her' in general conversation, especially when referring to a specific female person who has already been introduced.
- Definition
- Referring to a female person who is not necessarily romantically involved with anyone in the conversation.
For example, if you're talking about a female colleague, friend, or a public figure, 彼女 will most likely mean 'she' or 'her', not 'girlfriend'.
田中さんは素晴らしい医者です。彼女は患者にとても親切です。
Translation hint: "Ms. Tanaka is a wonderful doctor. She is very kind to her patients." (Here, 彼女 clearly means 'she'.)
§ Mistake 2: Avoiding 彼女 as a Pronoun Because of the 'Girlfriend' Meaning
On the flip side, some learners might completely avoid using 彼女 as a pronoun for 'she/her' because they're worried about it being misinterpreted as 'girlfriend'. This can make your Japanese sound unnatural, as 彼女 is a perfectly normal and common pronoun.
- Definition
- Using 彼女 naturally when referring to a female person, even if they are not your girlfriend.
If you're unsure, pay attention to the flow of conversation. If you just introduced a female person, using 彼女 to continue talking about them is appropriate.
これは私の友達の山本さんです。彼女は日本のアニメが大好きです。
Translation hint: "This is my friend, Ms. Yamamoto. She loves Japanese anime." (Here, it's clear you're talking about your friend, not your girlfriend.)
§ Mistake 3: Overusing 彼女 as a Pronoun
While 彼女 is a pronoun, Japanese often avoids pronouns when the subject is clear from context. Overusing 彼女 can sound repetitive or unnatural. Unlike English, where 'she' or 'he' is used frequently, Japanese speakers often drop the subject when it's understood.
- Definition
- Knowing when to omit the pronoun 彼女 when the context makes it clear who you are referring to.
For example, instead of saying "彼女は学生で、彼女は毎日図書館に行きます," a more natural Japanese sentence would be:
彼女は学生で、毎日図書館に行きます。
Translation hint: "She is a student, and she goes to the library every day." (The second 彼女 is often omitted in natural Japanese.)
§ Conclusion: Context is King
The most important takeaway for using 彼女 correctly is to rely on context. If you are clearly introducing your romantic partner, 彼女 means 'girlfriend'. If you are talking about any other female individual, it means 'she/her'. And remember, sometimes the best way to refer to 'she/her' is to not use a pronoun at all! Listen to native speakers and practice using 彼女 in various situations to build your intuition.
- Don't assume 'girlfriend' every time.
- Don't be afraid to use it as 'she/her' when appropriate.
- Don't overuse it; Japanese often omits pronouns.
How Formal Is It?
"彼女は会議室におります。"
"彼女の好きな食べ物は何ですか？"
"ねえ、彼女とデートするんだ。"
"彼女はかわいいドレスを着ています。"
수준별 예문
彼女がこのプロジェクトのリーダーを務めているので、最終決定は彼女に委ねられています。
She is leading this project, so the final decision rests with her.
務める (tsutomeru): to serve as, to perform (a duty)
昨日、彼女から突然の連絡があり、驚きましたが、良いニュースでした。
Yesterday, I was surprised by a sudden call from her, but it was good news.
突然 (totsuzen): sudden, unexpected
彼は彼女の意見を尊重し、常に耳を傾ける姿勢を見せている。
He respects her opinions and always shows a willingness to listen.
尊重する (sonchou suru): to respect, to esteem
彼女が海外に転居することになり、私たちの友情は新たな局面を迎えるだろう。
As she is moving overseas, our friendship will enter a new phase.
転居する (tenkyo suru): to move (house)
会議中、彼女は建設的な提案をいくつも出し、議論を深めるのに貢献した。
During the meeting, she made several constructive suggestions, contributing to a deeper discussion.
建設的 (kensetsuteki): constructive
彼の彼女への献身的なサポートが、彼女の成功に大きく寄与したと言われている。
It is said that his devoted support for her greatly contributed to her success.
献身的 (kenshinteki): devoted, dedicated
彼女は困難な状況に直面しても、常に冷静に対処し、解決策を見つけ出す。
Even when faced with difficult situations, she always handles them calmly and finds solutions.
直面する (chokumen suru): to confront, to face
長年の交際を経て、彼はついに彼女にプロポーズし、結婚することになった。
After many years of dating, he finally proposed to her, and they decided to get married.
交際 (kousai): association, dating
어휘 가족
명사
셀프 테스트 30 질문
She always has a lovely smile.
Yesterday, I went to see a movie with my girlfriend.
I heard her hobby is reading.
Read this aloud:
彼女は私の大切な友人です。
Focus: ka-no-jo
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女にプレゼントをあげました。
Focus: ka-no-jo ni
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼女の意見を聞いてみましょう。
Focus: ka-no-jo no
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short sentence describing what your girlfriend likes to do on weekends. Make sure to use '彼女'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼女は週末に映画を見るのが好きです。 (My girlfriend likes watching movies on weekends.)
Imagine you are introducing a female friend to someone. Write a sentence saying 'She is a student.' using 彼女.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼女は学生です。 (She is a student.)
Write a question asking 'Is she busy today?' using 彼女.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼女は今日忙しいですか。 (Is she busy today?)
田中さんは新しいチームメンバーについてどのように感じていますか？ (How does Tanaka-san feel about the new team member?)
Read this passage:
田中さんは新しいチームメンバーについて話しています。「彼女はとても真面目で、仕事も早いです。みんな彼女のことが好きです。」
田中さんは新しいチームメンバーについてどのように感じていますか？ (How does Tanaka-san feel about the new team member?)
パッセージには「彼女はとても真面目で、仕事も早いです。みんな彼女のことが好きです。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She is very serious and works fast. Everyone likes her.')
パッセージには「彼女はとても真面目で、仕事も早いです。みんな彼女のことが好きです。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She is very serious and works fast. Everyone likes her.')
私の友達は日本で何に興味がありますか？ (What is my friend interested in in Japan?)
Read this passage:
私の友達は来月日本へ旅行に行きます。彼女は日本の文化にとても興味があります。特に、お寺や神社を見たいと言っています。
私の友達は日本で何に興味がありますか？ (What is my friend interested in in Japan?)
パッセージには「彼女は日本の文化にとても興味があります。特に、お寺や神社を見たいと言っています。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She is very interested in Japanese culture. She especially wants to see temples and shrines.')
パッセージには「彼女は日本の文化にとても興味があります。特に、お寺や神社を見たいと言っています。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She is very interested in Japanese culture. She especially wants to see temples and shrines.')
佐藤さんはカフェで何をしていましたか？ (What was Sato-san doing at the cafe?)
Read this passage:
佐藤さんは週末に友達とカフェに行きました。彼女はコーヒーを飲みながら、新しい本を読んでいました。とてもリラックスできたそうです。
佐藤さんはカフェで何をしていましたか？ (What was Sato-san doing at the cafe?)
パッセージには「彼女はコーヒーを飲みながら、新しい本を読んでいました。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She was reading a new book while drinking coffee.')
パッセージには「彼女はコーヒーを飲みながら、新しい本を読んでいました。」と書かれています。 (The passage says, 'She was reading a new book while drinking coffee.')
___ はいつも笑顔で、周りの人を幸せにします。
This sentence describes someone who always smiles and makes people happy. '彼女' (she/her) fits the context of describing a female person's positive impact.
私の友人には、大学時代からの___がいます。
The sentence talks about a friend having someone from their university days. '彼女' in this context refers to a girlfriend.
ジョンはパーティーに___を連れてくるそうです。
The sentence states that John is bringing someone to the party. '彼女' (her/girlfriend) is the most suitable option if John is bringing a female companion.
___の意見も聞いてみましょう。
This sentence suggests asking for someone's opinion. '彼女' (her) is appropriate if referring to a specific female individual.
彼は___が来るのをずっと待っていました。
The sentence implies that he was waiting for someone to arrive. '彼女' (her) is the correct choice if he was waiting for a specific female.
もし___が時間通りに来なかったら、先に始めましょう。
This sentence talks about what to do if a specific person doesn't arrive on time. '彼女' (she) fits the context of referring to a female individual.
Choose the most appropriate meaning for 「彼女」 in the following sentence: 「山田さんは彼女と映画に行った。」
In this context, given the common usage and the lack of a clear antecedent for 'her' that isn't a romantic partner, 「彼女」 most naturally translates to 'girlfriend'.
Which of the following sentences uses 「彼女」 to refer to a specific female person already mentioned in the conversation, not necessarily a romantic partner?
In option A, 「彼女」 refers back to Tanaka's sister, who has already been introduced, making it a pronoun for a specific female individual. The other options imply a romantic relationship.
Select the sentence where 「彼女」 is used as a general, somewhat informal term for 'a woman' or 'a girl' in a descriptive sense.
In this sentence, 'あのベンチに座っている彼女' (that woman/girl sitting on the bench) is used to refer to an unspecified female person who is being observed, rather than a specific 'her' or 'girlfriend'.
True or False: In a business context, using 「彼女」 to refer to a female colleague is generally considered appropriate and polite.
False. In formal or business settings, using 「彼女」 to refer to a female colleague can be considered too casual or even imply a romantic relationship, which is generally inappropriate. It's better to use their name or title.
True or False: When directly addressing a woman you know well, you can use 「彼女」 as a polite way to refer to her in the third person.
False. 「彼女」 is a third-person pronoun. You would not use it to directly address someone. You would use their name, or a second-person pronoun if appropriate (though less common in Japanese).
True or False: It is common for Japanese people to refer to their wife as 「彼女」, especially among younger generations.
False. While 'girlfriend' is a primary meaning, it's not common to refer to one's wife as 「彼女」. More common terms for 'wife' include 「妻 (つま)」 or 「奥さん (おくさん)」.
This sentence translates to 'She is one of the most experienced engineers at that company.' It tests the understanding of '彼女' in a complex sentence structure.
This sentence means 'Her proposal greatly accelerated the progress of the entire team.' It assesses the use of '彼女' as a possessive pronoun within a sophisticated context.
This sentence translates to 'The effort she put in to make that project successful is commendable.' It evaluates the ability to construct a complex sentence using '彼女' as the subject of a relative clause.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
예시
彼女は日本語が上手です。
관련 콘텐츠
관련 표현
family 관련 단어
還暦
B160th birthday (celebration of completing a 60-year cycle).
〜くらい
B1About; approximately; to the extent that.
認め合う
B1To recognize each other's worth; to acknowledge.
知人
B1Acquaintance.
顔見知り
A2Acquaintance; someone you know by sight.
甘える
B1To be spoiled, to fawn; to behave like a pampered child.
活発な
B1Active; lively; vigorous.
思春期
B1Adolescence; the period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
養子
B1Adopted child; a child taken into one's family by legal means.
養親
B2Adoptive parent.
