媛
beautiful woman, princess
Readings
On'yomi
- エン
Kun'yomi
- ひめ
Meaning
媛 centers on a woman of high status or exceptional beauty: a princess or a beautiful woman. The two meanings are closely linked, as princesses are traditionally associated with grace and beauty.
Most common words using 媛
- 愛媛えひめ
Ehime (prefecture)
- 愛媛大学えひめだいがく
Ehime University
- 愛媛大えひめだい
Ehime University (abbr)
- 愛媛女子短大えひめじょしたんだい
Ehime Women's Junior College
- 愛媛県えひめけん
Ehime Prefecture (Shikoku)
- 愛媛県立医療技術大学えひめけんりついりょうぎじゅつだいがく
Ehime Prefectural University of Health Science
- 愛媛県警えひめけんけい
Ehime Prefectural Police (abbr)
- 才媛さいえん
literary woman; talented woman
Study
Etymology
媛 combines 女 (woman) with 爰, which likely contributes the sound and may have originally depicted a graceful or trailing garment, reinforcing the idea of an elegant woman.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 beside the elegant, flowing shape of 爰: imagine a princess in a long, beautiful dress.
Reading mnemonic
For エン, picture a beautiful woman named En, a princess who ends all disputes with her grace: En -> エン.