巫
sorcerer, medium, shrine maiden
Readings
On'yomi
- フ
Kun'yomi
- みこ
- かんなぎ
Meaning
巫 centers on a person who acts as an intermediary with spirits or gods: a sorcerer, medium, or shrine maiden. The common thread is a ritual role that bridges the human and supernatural worlds.
Most common words using 巫
- 巫女みこ
miko; shrine maiden; young girl or woman (trad. an unmarried virgin) who assists priests at shrines
- 巫かんなぎ
medium; diviner; shaman; oracle
- 巫俗ふぞく
Korean shamanism
- 巫女寄せみこよせ
spiritism; necromancy; sorcery
- 巫女舞みこまい
shrine maiden's ceremonial dance (in kagura)
- 巫山雲雨ふざんうんう
sexual liaison
- 巫祝ふしゅく
shrine maiden; ancient priest
- 巫者ふしゃ
virgin consecrated to a deity; shrine maiden; (spiritualistic) medium
- 巫術ふじゅつ
shamanism
- 巫覡ふげき
shaman; oracle; diviner; medium
- 梓巫女あずさみこ
female medium who summons spirits by sounding the string of a catalpa bow
- 野巫やぶ
rural female shaman
- 雲雨巫山うんうふざん
sexual liaison
Study
Etymology
巫 is an ancient pictograph of a ritual tool or a person performing a ritual, possibly representing a shaman's implement or posture. The modern form retains a symmetrical, cross-like shape that suggests a ceremonial object or figure.
Meaning mnemonic
The shape looks like two people (人) standing around a central tool (工), like shrine maidens or mediums performing a ritual together.
Reading mnemonic
For フ, imagine a sorcerer blowing a magical 'foo' sound to summon spirits: foo -> フ, and the medium channels the supernatural.