English Reference
Idiom idiom

dried-fish woman


A woman, especially a young one, who lacks a significant other.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

She is a dried-fish woman who enjoys her independence.

CONTEXTUAL

My aunt often worries that my cousin is a dried-fish woman, but she is actually very happy living alone.

COMPLEX

Despite the societal pressure to marry young, she embraced her status as a dried-fish woman, finding fulfillment in her career and travels rather than a partner.


Calque of Japanese 干物女 (himono-onna).


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    comfort woman

    A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces before or during World War II.

  2. 02

    God's gift to women

    Someone irresistible to women: someone whom all women find attractive; (often) someone ironically described as such.

  3. 03

    make an honest woman

    To marry (a woman), especially if there is an existing sexual relationship.

  4. 04

    other woman

    A woman who is romantically involved with someone (usually a man) already in a committed relationship with another woman, especially a woman having an affair with a married man.

  5. 05

    the old woman is plucking her goose

    It is snowing.

  6. 06

    woman among women

    A woman who is accepted on the same terms, and as having the same worth, as other others in society.

  7. 07

    woman of few words

    A woman who either does not speak much or speaks only for a brief period of time.

  8. 08

    woman of the hour

    A woman who has recently caught the attention of, or is being admired or honoured by, a large number of people.

Last updated August 10, 2026