フェミニスト

ふぇみにすと
noun
feminist
society
1. feminist; advocate for women's rights
A person who supports feminism and advocates for equal rights for women. Borrowed from English 'feminist.'
彼女(かのじょ)はフェミニストだ。
She is a feminist.
フェミニストとして男女(だんじょ)平等(びょうどう)を訴(うった)えている。
As a feminist, she advocates for gender equality.
フェミニストの視点(してん)から社会(しゃかい)問題(もんだい)を分析(ぶんせき)する研究者(けんきゅうしゃ)が増(ふ)えている。
More researchers are analyzing social issues from a feminist perspective.
2. a man who is chivalrous or gallant toward women
In older or colloquial Japanese usage, a man who treats women with special courtesy or kindness. This meaning differs from the English sense.
彼(かれ)はフェミニストで女性(じょせい)に優(やさ)しい。
He is gallant and kind to women.
昔(むかし)はフェミニストと言(い)えば女性(じょせい)に親切(しんせつ)な男性(だんせい)のことだった。
In the past, 'feminist' referred to a man who was courteous to women.
祖父(そふ)は古(ふる)い意味(いみ)でのフェミニストで、いつも女性(じょせい)にドアを開(あ)けてあげていた。
My grandfather was a feminist in the old sense — he always held the door open for women.

フェミニスト is a loanword from English "feminist" with two distinct meanings in Japanese.

SENSE 1 — FEMINIST (modern, dominant):
Advocate for women's rights and gender equality. This meaning aligns with international usage and is now standard.

SENSE 2 — CHIVALROUS MAN (older usage):
A man who treats women with special courtesy. This meaning was common in the Showa era and still appears among older speakers.

Watch out

These two meanings can cause confusion. In modern media and academic contexts, sense 1 is almost always intended.

Related words

Related Words

Related: 男女(だんじょ)平等(びょうどう) (gender equality)
general
Added 2026.3.5 15:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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