1.
heroine; female protagonist; female lead character
The main female character in a novel, film, drama, manga, anime, or other narrative work. Distinguished from 主人公 (protagonist, which is gender-neutral but often assumed male) by the prefix 女 to specify the character is female.
この映画の女主人公は強い女性だ。
The heroine of this movie is a strong woman.
女主人公の成長を描いた小説が人気だ。
A novel depicting the growth of a female protagonist is popular.
このドラマでは、女主人公が困難を乗り越えながら夢を実現していく姿が感動的に描かれている。
In this drama, the heroine's journey of overcoming hardships while realizing her dream is depicted movingly.
Composed of 女 (female) and 主人公 (protagonist, main character). While 主人公 alone is technically gender-neutral, 女主人公 is used when the gender of the lead character is relevant to the discussion or when distinguishing from a male lead.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 女主人公を演じる: to play the role of the female lead
- 女主人公の視点: from the heroine's perspective
- 女主人公の物語: a story of a female protagonist
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 主人公: protagonist — gender-neutral term for the main character
- ヒロイン: heroine — the loanword from English, often used in manga/anime contexts and sometimes refers to the female love interest rather than the lead
- 男主人公: male protagonist — the corresponding term for a male lead