Shōjo facts for kids
Shōjo (pronounced "SHOW-jo") is a Japanese word that means "girl." The Japanese characters (called kanji) for shōjo actually mean "little" and "woman." This word is mostly used to talk about a group of people: girls between the ages of 7 and 19. It's often used when talking about manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animation) made for this age group.
Where Does Shōjo Come From?
Just like many other Japanese words, the word shōjo has its roots in the Chinese language. The first time this word was known to be used was in an old Chinese book called The Book of the Later Han. In this book, it talks about "young girls."
The word shōjo came to Japan around the 7th century. This was when Japan started using a legal system similar to China's. Back then, shōjo was used to describe girls who were between 17 and 20 years old.
How Shōjo Is Used Today
Today, in legal terms, the word shōjo can mean any girl or woman who is under 20 years old. This is similar to how the word shōnen is used for boys or men under 20.
Outside of legal uses, shōjo is a common term for things made for girls or about girls. For example, you might hear about shōjo manga, which are comics for girls. There's also shōjo anime, which are animated shows for girls, and shōjo fashion, which is clothing style popular among young women.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Shōjo war fiction emerged in tandem with the militarization of Japan in the 1930s, while an emphasis on cross-dressing came from the popularity of the cross-dressing actresses of the Takarazuka Revue (actress Sueko Takigawa pictured).
See also
In Spanish: Shōjo para niños