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Kanji for Princess

The kanji most commonly used for "Princess" are 姫、媛.

Kanji that mean Princess

  • princess, lady

    Also associated with beautiful.

    Onyomi: ki Kunyomi: hime 10 strokes Jōyō

  • princess, beauty, graceful lady

    Onyomi: en Kunyomi: hime 12 strokes Jōyō

姫 (hime) is the princess — the woman radical 女 beside 臣: a lady of the court. In the old tales every heroine is a hime: Kaguya-hime born from bamboo, Ori-hime the weaver star of Tanabata. The word reaches beyond royalty to anything dainty and beloved — 姫リンゴ is a miniature apple; a spoiled daughter is teased as an 姫様. Japan’s most beautiful castle is 姫路城, “Himeji”, the White Heron — carrying the character in its name.

媛 (hime / en) is the graceful beauty — 才媛 is an accomplished woman, and 愛媛 (Ehime) prefecture is literally “lovely princess”, named from the old chronicles. It is a Jinmeiyō character prized in girls’ names.

The formal rank, by contrast, is 王女 (a king’s daughter) or 皇女 (an emperor’s); 妃 is the married-in princess-consort. But the character with the fairy-tale in it is 姫.

Before you use Princess kanji

姫 is charming and fully positive — princess, fairy-tale heroine, the beloved. Its only nuance is a teasing one: called of an adult it can wink at being pampered. 媛 is subtler and reads as "graceful, gifted woman". Both are safe; neither will be misread.

Other meanings to explore

See all kanji by meaning →

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