Buddhist nun; bhikkhuni
A fully ordained Buddhist nun in the traditional sense. The term is a direct borrowing from Sanskrit bhiksuni.
from Sanskrit bhiksuni
She practices as a bhikkhuni, observing the precepts.
traveling female entertainer dressed as a nun
Historical term for a female performer who traveled and entertained while wearing a nun's habit, common in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.
In the Kamakura period, traveling entertainers dressed as nuns went around the country.
lowly prostitute disguised as a nun
Historical term from the Edo period for a low-ranking prostitute who wore a nun's habit as a disguise.
In the Edo period, bikuni referred to low-class prostitutes dressed as nuns.
female servant hired to take blame for noblewoman's farts
Abbreviation of 科負い比丘尼. A historical role in which a female servant would pretend to be the source of a noblewoman's flatulence to save her embarrassment.
See also: 科負い比丘尼
As an abbreviation of 科負い比丘尼, bikuni referred to a servant who took the blame for a noblewoman's fart.
From Sanskrit bhiksuni, meaning a female mendicant or fully ordained Buddhist nun. The historical Japanese senses developed from the disguise of wearing a nun's habit.