(kabuki, theater) Short for 女形 (onnagata)., a female role played by a male actor in kabuki theater

(affixed to nouns): the shape or form of the affixed noun / (affixed to on'yomi nouns): a typical example of the affixed noun; the type of the affixed noun

shape or form / shapeliness: see 形有り (katachiari) / form, as opposed to substance

(linguistics) grammatical tense / (Japanese grammar) a conjugation form of a verb

one's clothing and appearance / one's body shape or form / one's circumstances or situation / the shape or form of something

following the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of a verb, indicates the state of the affixed verb or phrase: compare English just as

shapes

body

strengthens the prefixed adjective or adjectival noun

one who does the previous word's action: -ist, -er / (board games) counter for moves in shogi, go, etc.