'妇女' (fùnǚ) is a formal, respectful noun meaning 'woman'—specifically an adult female, often used in official, social, or institutional contexts. It combines two characters: 妇 (fù), meaning 'married woman' or 'adult woman', and 女 (nǚ), meaning 'female' or 'woman'. Together, they emphasize maturity and social role rather than youth or individuality.

This term appears frequently in public discourse, policy documents, media, and gender-related topics—for example, '妇女节' (Women’s Day) or '妇女权益' (women’s rights). Unlike colloquial terms like 女人 (nǚrén), which can be neutral or contextually informal (even slightly blunt), 妇女 carries dignified, collective, and socially conscious connotations. It’s rarely used in casual conversation among friends or to refer to oneself directly—it’s more common in third-person references, titles, or formal address.