1.
female ninja
A woman trained in the art of ninjutsu. In popular culture, depicted as a female spy or warrior who uses stealth and cunning.
Etymology
The word is a visual puzzle based on the kanji 女. When the strokes of 女 are separated, they can be read as く, ノ, and 一 — hence くノ一.
Cultural note
Historically, female spies (女忍者) may have existed in feudal Japan, though historical evidence is scarce. The romanticized image of the くノ一 was largely created by 20th-century popular fiction, especially the novels of 山田風太郎. Today, くノ一 appears frequently in manga, anime, games, and period dramas.
Writing
Always written in mixed script: く (hiragana) + ノ (katakana) + 一 (kanji). This unusual mixed spelling is part of the word's identity.
Related Words
Related:
忍者 (ninja)