Historical term for a high-ranking woman serving at the imperial court or a noblewoman of high status. Primarily used in contexts related to pre-modern Japan.
Murasaki Shikibu was a court lady who served Empress Shōshi, consort of Emperor Ichijō.
The high-ranking court ladies walked quietly along the corridor of the imperial palace.
high-ranking maid in the inner palace of a shogun or daimyo (Edo period)
Standard kanji form. The second character 臈 is a variant of 臘, but 上臈 is the established spelling.
Variant kanji form using the character 﨟 (a simplified variant of 臈). Rarely encountered.
From 上 (high, upper) + 臈 (a term originally referring to a Buddhist monk's years of ascetic practice, later extended to mean seniority or rank). The combination refers to a person of high rank or seniority, specifically a high-ranking court lady.