princess

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 姫 refers to a princess or noble young lady; its kun-reading is ひめ.
• Basic usage: 姫(ひめ) means a princess or noble young lady, while 歌姫(うたひめ) means a celebrated female singer.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A princess and a celebrated singer
  • 領主の姫 means a lord's daughter. 姫 applies to a daughter of a noble household as well as to a princess in a tale.
  • 歌姫 means a female singer who captivates an audience through song. In this word, 姫 does not identify royal status.