1.
beautiful woman; beauty
A literary and somewhat classical term for a beautiful woman. More refined and elegant in nuance than everyday words like 美人.
才子佳人のカップル。
A couple of a talented man and a beautiful woman.
佳人薄命という言葉がある。
There is a saying that beauties are destined to die young.
明治時代の小説には佳人という表現がよく出てくる。
The word kajin appears frequently in Meiji-era novels.
A classical and literary word for a beautiful woman, carrying a refined and elegant nuance.
SET PHRASES:
- 佳人薄命: beauties are fated to die young (a well-known proverb)
- 才子佳人: a talented man and a beautiful woman (an ideal pairing)
CONTRAST WITH 美人:
美人 is the standard modern word for a beautiful woman and is used in everyday conversation. 佳人 sounds old-fashioned and literary, mainly appearing in historical texts, classical literature, and set phrases. You would not use 佳人 in casual speech.
ETYMOLOGY:
The kanji 佳 means 'excellent' or 'beautiful,' giving the word a sense of refined beauty rather than just physical attractiveness.