Hime

Hime (姫) is the Japanese word for princess or a lady of higher birth. Daughters of a foreign monarch are actually referred to by other terms, e.g. Ōjo (王女), literally king's daughter, even though Hime can be used to address Ōjo. As for the female relatives of the Japanese monarch, the following terms are used (depending on relation); Naishinnō (内親王; Imperial Princess) used for the daughters and granddaughters of an emperor. Joō (女王; Princess) used for third-generation descendents of an emperor and beyond. Shinnōhi (親王妃; Imperial Princess Consort) used for the wife of a Shinnō (親王; Imperial Prince, which is the son or grandson of the monarch). Ōhi (王妃; Princess Consort) used for the wife of an Ō (王; Prince, which is the third-generation descendents of an emepror and beyond). The word Hime initially referred to any beautiful female person. 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.