Chinese

Noun

醜女

1. ugly woman

Japanese

Etymology 1

Compound of 醜 ‎(bu, “ugly”) +‎ 女 ‎(onna, “woman”).^[1][2]

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• (Tokyo) ぶお​んな [bùóꜜǹnà] (Nakadaka - [2])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [bɯᵝõ̞nna̠]

Noun

醜女 ‎(hiragana ぶおんな, romaji buonna, historical hiragana ぶをんな)

1. an ugly woman

Synonyms

• 醜女 (しこめ) ‎(shikome) (see below)
• 醜女 (しゅうじょ) ‎(shūjo) (see below)
• 醜婦 (しゅうふ) ‎(shūfu)
• ぶす ‎(busu)
• おかちめんこ ‎(okachimenko)

Usage notes

For the generic “ugly woman” sense, the buonna reading may be more common. The shikome reading carries overtones of supernatural terror, and may be perceived as somewhat old-fashioned. The shūjo reading is the least common, and may be the most stilted; it is also the most negative of the three readings.

Etymology 2

Compound of 醜 ‎(shiko, “ugly; ferocious”) +‎ 女 ‎(me, “woman”).^[1][2]

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• (Tokyo) しこめ [shìkómé] (Heiban - [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɕiko̞me̞]

Noun

醜女 ‎(hiragana しこめ, romaji shikome)

1. an ugly demon-woman or hag from the underworld
   • 931–938, Wamyō Ruijushō, book 1, page 44-45:

     醜女 日本紀私紀云、醜女、志古女、欽明或説黄泉之鬼也、今世人爲恐小兒稱許々女者此語之訛也。

2. an ugly woman

Synonyms

(ugly woman):

• 醜女 (ぶおんな) ‎(buonna) (see above)
• 醜女 (しゅうじょ) ‎(shūjo) (see below)
• 醜婦 (しゅうふ) ‎(shūfu)
• ぶす ‎(busu)
• おかちめんこ ‎(okachimenko)

Usage notes

For the generic “ugly woman” sense, the buonna reading may be more common. The shikome reading carries overtones of supernatural terror, and may be perceived as somewhat old-fashioned. The shūjo reading is the least common, and may be the most stilted; it is also the most negative of the three readings.

See also

• 美女 (びじょ) ‎(bijo): beautiful woman
• 醜男 (ぶおとこ) ‎(buotoko): ugly man

Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese compound 醜女 ‎(tsyhuw^X nrjo^X, literally “ugly + woman”). Compare modern Mandarin reading chǒu nǚ.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi: Kan'on
• (Tokyo) しゅ​うじょ [shúꜜùjò] (Atamadaka - [1])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɕɯᵝːd͡ʑo̞]

Noun

醜女 ‎(hiragana しゅうじょ, romaji shūjo, historical hiragana しうぢよ)

1. an ugly woman

Synonyms

• 醜女 (しこめ) ‎(shikome) (see above)
• 醜女 (しゅうじょ) ‎(shūjo) (see above)
• 醜婦 (しゅうふ) ‎(shūfu)
• ぶす ‎(busu)
• おかちめんこ ‎(okachimenko)

Usage notes

For the generic “ugly woman” sense, the buonna reading may be more common. The shikome reading carries overtones of supernatural terror, and may be perceived as somewhat old-fashioned. The shūjo reading is the least common, and may be the most stilted; it is also the most negative of the three readings.

References

1. 1 2 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 3 4 5 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9

• Minamoto, Shitagō; Kyōto Daigaku Bungakubu Kokugogaku Kokubungaku Kenkyūshitu (931–938) Shohon Shūsei Wamyō Ruijushō: Honbunhen (in Japanese), Kyōto: Rinsen, ISBN 978-4-653-00507-0, published 1968.