お嬢さん

• Reading: おじょうさん
• Romaji: ojousan
• Kanji breakdown: 嬢 (jou) — young woman, daughter
• Pronunciation: /o.d͡ʑoː.saɴ/

Meaning

Someone's daughter (polite); young lady. A respectful way to refer to another person's daughter.

The honorific お and suffix さん wrap 嬢 (jou, young woman) to create a polite term for someone else's daughter. Also used as a general polite address for a young woman. Not used for one's own daughter — instead use 娘 (musume).

Examples

1. お嬢さんは今おいくつですか。 How old is your daughter now?
2. 先生のお嬢さんはピアノが上手です。 The teacher's daughter is great at piano.
3. お嬢さんによく似ていますね。 You look just like your daughter.

Usage Guide

Context: polite conversation, family topics, social situations

Tone: polite

Origin & History

From 嬢 (jou), meaning young woman or daughter, with the honorific prefix お and polite suffix さん. The kanji 嬢 combines 女 (woman) and 壌 (abundant), suggesting a well-raised young woman.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal