Nüshu

/ˈnʊʃuː//ˈnjuːʃuː/

proper noun

A syllabic script which was used exclusively among the ethnic Yao women of Jiangyong, Hunan, China, from the 9th century, used to write the Xiangnan Tuhua lect of Chinese, which mostly fell out of use during the 20th century.

OriginMandarin 女書 /女书 →
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Meanings

proper noun

alternative Nushu · alternative Nyushu · alternative Nü Shu · alternative Nu Shu

  1. historicalA syllabic script which was used exclusively among the ethnic Yao women of Jiangyong, Hunan, China, from the 9th century, used to write the Xiangnan Tuhua lect of Chinese, which mostly fell out of use during the 20th century.

Origin

  1. Mandarin女書 /女书
  2. EnglishNüshu

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 女書 /女书 (Nǚshū, literally “women's script”).

More words from Mandarin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 女書 /女书
  • 女書 /女书 (Nǚshū)Translations
Japanese 女書
  • 女書 (Nyosho)Translations
Russian ню̀й-шу́
  • ню̀й-шу́ (njùj-šú)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

Nüshu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/N%C3%BCshu

MLA

“Nüshu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/N%C3%BCshu. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Nüshu,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/N%C3%BCshu.

Source: Nüshu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.