The Women's 52 kg (also known as half-lightweight) judo tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held on August 10 at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium.

A total of 22 women competed in this event, limited to jūdōka with a body weight of less than 52 kilograms.

This event was the second-lightest of the women's judo weight classes, limiting competitors to a maximum of 52 kilograms of body mass.

The two judokas who lost in the semifinals faced the winner of the opposite half of the bracket's repechage in bronze medal bouts.

Those judoka eliminated in earlier rounds by the four semifinalists of the main bracket advanced to the repechage.