also: はっぴゃくびくに · おびくに
noun
Yao Bikuni; mythical nun with eternal youth
A legendary figure in Japanese folklore who gained perpetual youth after eating mermaid flesh. Often used in stories and cultural references.
八百比丘尼は人魚の肉を食べて不老不死になったと伝えられている。
It is said that Yao Bikuni became immortal by eating mermaid flesh.
この地方には八百比丘尼にまつわる伝説が残っている。
A legend about Yao Bikuni remains in this region.
The name 八百比丘尼 literally means 'eight-hundred bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun)', referring to her legendary lifespan of 800 years. The reading やおびくに is a contraction of はっぴゃくびくに.