Hime
Encyclopedia
is the Japanese
word for princess
or a lady of higher birth
. Daughters of a monarch are actually referred to by other terms, e.g. , literally king's daughter, even though Hime can be used to address Ōjo.
The word Hime initially referred to any beautiful female. In some languages, the word also means a sound that a girl makes when in distress. The antonym
of Hime is Shikome (醜女), literally ugly female, though it is archaic
and rarely used. Hime may also indicate feminine or simply small when used together with other words, such as Hime-gaki (a low line of hedge
).
Hime is commonly seen as part of a Japanese female divinity
's name, such as Toyotama-hime
. The Kanji
applied to transliterate Hime are 比売 or 毘売 rather than 姫. The masculine counterpart of Hime is Hiko (彦, 比古 or 毘古,) which is seen as part of Japanese male gods' names, such as Saruta-hiko. Unlike Hime, Hiko is neutral, non-archaic and still commonly used as a modern Japanese male given name, for example Nobuhiko Takada
.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
word for princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
or a lady of higher birth
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. Daughters of a monarch are actually referred to by other terms, e.g. , literally king's daughter, even though Hime can be used to address Ōjo.
The word Hime initially referred to any beautiful female. In some languages, the word also means a sound that a girl makes when in distress. The antonym
Antonym
In lexical semantics, opposites are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as in the opposite pairs male : female, long : short, up : down, and precede : follow. The notion of incompatibility here refers to the fact that one word in an opposite pair entails that it is not...
of Hime is Shikome (醜女), literally ugly female, though it is archaic
Archaism
In language, an archaism is the use of a form of speech or writing that is no longer current. This can either be done deliberately or as part of a specific jargon or formula...
and rarely used. Hime may also indicate feminine or simply small when used together with other words, such as Hime-gaki (a low line of hedge
Hedge (gardening)
A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and tree species, planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area. Hedges used to separate a road from adjoining fields or one field from another, and of sufficient age to incorporate larger trees, are...
).
Hime is commonly seen as part of a Japanese female divinity
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
's name, such as Toyotama-hime
Toyotama-hime
, better known as , is a goddess in Japanese mythology, and is featured in the Kojiki as well as Nihon Shoki. She is the beautiful daughter of Ryūjin, the god of the sea. She married the hunter Hoori and gave birth to a son, who in turn produced Emperor Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan...
. The Kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
applied to transliterate Hime are 比売 or 毘売 rather than 姫. The masculine counterpart of Hime is Hiko (彦, 比古 or 毘古,) which is seen as part of Japanese male gods' names, such as Saruta-hiko. Unlike Hime, Hiko is neutral, non-archaic and still commonly used as a modern Japanese male given name, for example Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He...
.
Proverb
- Ichi hime ni taroTaro (disambiguation)Taro is any of several tropical plants used as root vegetables:* Most commonly, Colocasia esculenta* Alocasia species, especially Alocasia macrorrhizos * Cyrtosperma merkusii * Xanthosoma sagittifolium...
"First baby, a girl. Second baby, a boy": It originally meant that having a girl first, and a boy second was easier on the mother as she gained experience before nurturing a boy. However, with each household having fewer children, this is commonly confused as having "one girl and two boys", or three children. This is because "ichi" means "one" in Japanese and "ni" means "two" in Japanese, and therefore could be read as, "One girl, two boys."
Usage
While many use the name Hime to address those of a higher or more noble birth, there are a few who use it as a girl's name. Thus some names either incorporate the word Hime or the giver simply will name said girl Hime.Historical
- HimikoHimikoHimiko or Pimiko was an obscure shaman queen of Yamataikoku in ancient Wa . Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom , and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler following decades of warfare among the kings of Wa...
Some believe that Himiko is a transliterationTransliterationTransliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
from Japanese to Chinese of Himemiko or female shaman. - Soga no KitashihimeSoga no KitashihimeSoga no Kitashihime was a daughter of Soga no Iname, a high-ranking official and consort to Emperor Kimmei of Japan. She gave birth to seven boys and six girls, including Emperor Yōmei, Empress Suiko and Princess Ōtomo....
(consort of Emperor KimmeiEmperor Kimmeiwas the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...
)
Sengoku Period
- NōhimeNohimealso Kichō or Lady Noh, was the wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime . She was renowned for her beauty and cleverness.Nōhime's father was the...
(wife of Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
) - Ichi Hime (市姫)Oichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
(younger sister of Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
) - Koma Hime (駒姫) (daughter of Mogami YoshiakiMogami Yoshiakiwas a daimyō of the Yamagata domain in Dewa Province, in the late Sengoku period and early Edo period.-Life:Mogami Yoshiaki was the first son of Mogami Yoshimori , and succeeded his father as daimyō of Yamagata...
) - Gotoku Hime (五徳姫)Tokuhime, or Princess Toku was born the daughter of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga and later married Matsudaira Nobuyasu, the first son of Tokugawa Ieyasu...
(daughter of Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
) - Iroha Hime (五郎八姫) (daughter of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
) - Toku Hime （督姫） (second daughter of Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
) - Hosokawa GraciaHosokawa Gracia', usually referred to as ', was a Christian convert, a daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide and the wife of Hosokawa Tadaoki....
(daughter of Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
) - SenhimeSenhimeSenhime or Lady Sen was the eldest daughter of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada and his wife Oeyo. She was born during the warring-states period of Japanese history...
(Princess Sen, eldest daughter ShogunShogunA was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Tokugawa HidetadaTokugawa Hidetadawas the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
) - Komatsuhime (daughter of Honda TadakatsuHonda Tadakatsu, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
) - Yodo-donoYodo-Donoor was a prominently-placed figure in late-Sengoku period. She was a concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was then the most powerful man in Japan. She also became the mother of his son and successor, Hideyori. She was also known as Lady Chacha...
(daughter of Ichi Hime (市姫)Oichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
) - Hatsu Hime (初姫) (daughter of Ichi Hime (市姫)Oichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
) - OeyoOeyo, , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in late-Sengoku period. She married three times, first to Saji Kazunari, then to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's nephew Toyotomi Hidekatsu. Her third and last husband Tokugawa Hidetada became the second Tokugawa shogun...
(daughter of Ichi Hime (市姫)Oichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
, wife of Tokugawa HidetadaTokugawa Hidetadawas the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
) - Tachibana GinchiyoTachibana Ginchiyowas the head of the Japanese clan of Tachibana during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century. Ginchiyo was the daughter of Tachibana Dōsetsu, retainer of the Ōtomo . Because Dosetsu had no sons, he requested that Ginchiyo be made family head after his death...
(daughter of Tachibana DōsetsuTachibana Dosetsu, born Hetsugi Akitsura, was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served the Ōtomo clan. He was the father of Tachibana Ginchiyo and adopted father of Tachibana Muneshige.-Biography:...
) - Mah Hime (摩阿姫) (daughter of Maeda ToshiieMaeda Toshiiewas one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. His father was Maeda Toshimasa. He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" . His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as...
) - Go hime (豪姫) (daughter of Maeda ToshiieMaeda Toshiiewas one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. His father was Maeda Toshimasa. He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" . His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as...
)
Literature
- Kaguya-hime; or The Moon Princess; The Tale of the Bamboo CutterThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, also known as , is a 10th century Japanese folktale. It is considered the oldest extant Japanese narrative and an early example of proto-science fiction....
folk tale - Tsubaki-hime (椿姫, a common Japanese translation of the French work The Lady of the CamelliasThe Lady of the CamelliasThe Lady of the Camellias is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils, first published in 1848, and subsequently adapted for the stage. The Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852. The play was an instant success, and Giuseppe Verdi immediately set...
)
In popular culture
- Shikabane HimeShikabane Himeis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshiichi Akahito. Premiering in Monthly Shōnen Gangan on April 12, 2005, the series centers around the "Corpse Princess" Makina Hoshimura, an undead girl who is hunting down 108 undead corpses in order to gain entry into heaven with the help of...
is a Japanese manga series and a TV anime series - Anmitsu HimeAnmitsu Himeis a manga series by Shosuke Kurakane.The story was originally produced in 1949-1955.In 1986-1987, Izumi Takemoto retold the original manga series, releasing it under the same title.- Live-action television dramas :...
(The Sugar Princess, animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series) - Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke, filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
) - Hime, the lead character in the anime and manga series Princess ResurrectionPrincess Resurrectionis a supernatural, Horror, Comedy and Action manga by Yasunori Mitsunaga. The manga is serialized monthly in Monthly Shōnen Sirius magazine and published by Kodansha. An 26 episode anime series by Madhouse aired on TBS in 2007...
. - Sakura Hime Kaden, a manga by Arina TanemuraArina Tanemurais a Japanese manga artist who mainly does shōjo manga. Her debut work was a one-shot work titled , which was later reprinted in her anthology work Short-Tempered Melancholic. Tanemura gained fame with the 1997 publication of I.O.N, a high school romance with a supernatural twist...
- Fushigiboshi no FutagohimeFushigiboshi no Futagohimeis a 2005 Japanese animated television show produced by Junichi Sato with character designs by Birthday. Following Birthday's original concept in 2003, it was taken by Nihon Ad Systems and TV Tokyo and was reproduced into a full-length series in 2005...
, a Japanese anime - Hime Preciado of Pierce the VeilPierce the VeilPierce the Veil is an American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2006, the group was founded by brothers Vic and Mike Fuentes after the disbandment of the group Early Times which was formed out of the San Diego punk rock scene...