巫女みこ

noun

shrine maiden; miko

A young woman, traditionally unmarried, who assists in Shinto shrine rituals and ceremonies. The term is culturally specific and often left as 'miko' in English.

• 巫女みこが神じん社じゃでお祓はらいをしている。

  A shrine maiden is performing a purification ritual at the shrine.

• 彼かの女じょは正しょう月がつに巫女みこのアルバイトをした。

  She worked part-time as a miko during the New Year.

noun

medium; shamaness; sorceress

Only when written 巫女

Historical or folkloric sense: a woman who acts as a spiritual medium or shaman. Restricted to the 巫女 spelling; also written simply as 巫.

• 古こ代だいの巫ふ女じょは神かみの言こと葉ばを伝つたえる役やく割わりを担になっていた。

  Ancient miko served as mediums to convey the words of the gods.