Definitions
(noun)
concubine; female entertainer
Etymology
Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 𦣞 represents the sound.
About
姬 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 女 (woman) indicates its category, while the phonetic component 𦣞 provides the pronunciation. Historically, it was the prestigious royal surname of the Zhou Dynasty ruling family. As royal women were considered noble, the meaning expanded to denote a beautiful woman or lady of high birth. In later periods, it shifted down the social hierarchy to refer to female entertainers, singers, or concubines in wealthy households, marking a semantic transition from an exalted dynastic name to a term for women in specific domestic or entertainment roles.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这位歌姬很受欢迎。
舞姬在台上表演舞蹈。
虞姬是项羽的爱人。
古代有许多能歌善舞的姬妾。
那位著名的歌姬举办了一场音乐会。
虽然她出身平凡，但最终成为了一代歌姬。
与舞姬相比，歌姬更注重声音的培训。
在历史记载中，姬姓曾是周朝的王族姓氏。