市いち子こ

noun

sorceress; medium; female fortuneteller

A woman who acts as a spiritual medium or fortune-teller, often in folk religious contexts. Compare 巫女 (みこ), which is more common for shrine maidens.

See also: 巫女 (みこ)

• 村むらの市いち子こは、神かみがかりになって人ひと々びとの相そう談だんに乗のった。

  The village sorceress went into a trance and gave advice to the people.

noun

child from the city

Only when written 市子

Archaic meaning, restricted to the 市子 spelling. Literally 'city child', but not used in modern Japanese.

• 古こ文ぶん書しょに「市いち子こ」とあるのは、都と会かいから来きた子こ供どもを指さすことがある。

  In old documents, 市子 can refer to a child who came from the city.