This study explores lexical and stylistic variation in male and female speech in modern Japanese, adopting a sociolinguistic and anthropocentric framework. Focusing on patterns of lexical selection and stylistic preference, the article examines how gendered speech forms function in present-day communicative settings. The analysis indicates that although traditionally gender-marked expressions remain part of the Japanese linguistic repertoire, their use is no longer governed solely by gender distinctions. Instead, social context, speaker roles, and communicative intentions play a decisive role. The findings argue for understanding gendered speech in Japanese as a flexible and adaptive system rather than a rigid linguistic division.

gendered language, Japanese, lexical variation, sociolinguistics, speech style

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