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There is not going to be an ideal fit for a neutral version of this term in English. Traditionally, older unmarried women were looked upon negatively So you have older words like spinster and old maid that have strongly negative connotations. There are also adjectives like unmarried and unattached that may come across as negative due to the un- form.
It is ...
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Yes, "leftover woman" is the correct translation.
It may not be politically correct, or seem polite, but that is the term and it reflects Chinese cultural attitudes towards those women within Mainland China.
The word is used in China and in English-language literature on the subject, including in many peer-review journal articles. See Google ...
4
Firstly, "leftover" doesn't unambiguously refer to food as in "last night's leftovers in the fridge".
A leftover anything is something that remains. For instance, "Bob went into the building one more time to grab a few leftover boxes and items, and then shut the door for good."
If the "leftover" is turned into a noun, ...
2
As mentioned by TaliesinMerlin, In English we have the (somewhat dated) term "old maid"...
old maid NOUN
1 derogatory A single woman regarded as too old for marriage.
Lexico
1
Not a direct match, but if she has her own job and life, "career woman" or "career-minded woman" or "single professional woman" might fit.
This is specific to the woman who puts more of her life into her job, and so her single state is her choice, or the result of her being busy, rather than because she is left over. Unlike ...
1
Perhaps a "passed-over" woman, which puts focus on the actions of others, rather than suggesting a deficiency as "left-over" seems to.
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