Onnayaku (女役): literally, "Woman Role-Player"

An unofficial term used by fans to refer to the musumeyaku, as the word musume means "daughter" while the word onna means "woman", and therefore implies a greater level of equality with the male-gendered actresses who are called otokoyaku (otoko means "man").

Some fans have begun using the word onnayaku to refer to the older female-gendered actresses who are more experienced and well-known than the younger girls.