養 女(ようじょ)

ようじょ

noun

adopted daughter

1. adopted daughter

A girl or woman who has been legally adopted into a family. The female counterpart of 養子(ようし) (adopted child, traditionally male).

彼女(かのじょ)は養女(ようじょ)として迎(むか)えられた。

She was taken in as an adopted daughter.

子(こ)どもがいなかった夫婦(ふうふ)は、養女(ようじょ)を迎(むか)えた。

The childless couple adopted a daughter.

歴史的(れきしてき)に、家業(かぎょう)を継(つ)がせるために養女(ようじょ)を取(と)り、その夫(おっと)を婿養子(むこようし)として迎(むか)えることがあった。

Historically, families would sometimes adopt a daughter and bring in her husband as an adopted son-in-law to continue the family business.

The formal term for an adopted daughter, as opposed to 養子(ようし) which can mean adopted child in general but traditionally refers to an adopted son.

Common collocations

養女(ようじょ)を迎(むか)える: to adopt a daughter
養女(ようじょ)として育(そだ)てる: to raise as an adopted daughter
養女(ようじょ)に出(だ)す: to give up (a daughter) for adoption

Cultural note

In traditional Japan, adoption was often strategic — to secure an heir for a family line. Adopting a daughter (養女(ようじょ)) and then bringing in a son-in-law (婿養子(むこようし)) was one way to continue a family name.

Related words

養子(ようし): adopted child (general/male)
養母(ようぼ): adoptive mother
養父(ようふ): adoptive father
養親(ようしん): adoptive parent
実子(じっし): biological child

Related Words

Related: 養子(ようし) (adopted child)

Related: 養母(ようぼ) (adoptive mother)

Related: 養父(ようふ) (adoptive father)

Related: 養親(ようしん) (adoptive parent)

Related: 実子(じっし) (biological child)

general

Added 2026.4.1 1:27 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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