‘织女’ (Zhīnǚ) literally means ‘weaving girl’ — ‘织’ (zhī) means ‘to weave’, and ‘女’ (nǚ) means ‘girl’ or ‘woman’. In Chinese mythology, she is a celestial maiden and the goddess of weaving, daughter of the Jade Emperor, who lives in the heavens and weaves clouds and rainbows with her loom. She is best known for the romantic legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (Niúláng Zhīnǚ), one of China’s Four Great Folktales, symbolizing enduring love across separation.

The term appears frequently in literature, poetry, opera, and festivals — especially during the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day), when people celebrate her annual reunion with her mortal lover across the Milky Way. While ‘织女’ refers specifically to this mythological figure, it is rarely used in modern daily speech outside cultural or literary contexts. It carries poetic, classical, and nostalgic connotations, often evoking themes of fate, longing, and cosmic harmony.