巫女

Noun

 * 1) Japanese female shaman; shrine maiden; miko

Etymology 1
From. Originally a compound of, as suggested by the alternative spelling.

Formerly spelled as on its own. The modern kanji spelling 巫女 appears to be.

Noun

 * 1) An unmarried woman who serves at a Shintō shrine, helping to receive visitors and performing  dances at ceremonies, among other responsibilities. A shrine maid.
 * 2) An unmarried woman who serves a deity as a medium to convey oracles.

Usage notes
Using the alternative spelling, a miko could be of either gender, but unmarried young women are by far the most common.

Derived terms

 * : a wandering miko
 * : a warrior priestess
 * : a dark priestess
 * : a miko acting as a medium

Etymology 2
From compound. Compare modern 🇨🇬 reading wūnǚ.

Noun

 * 1) An unmarried woman who serves a deity as a medium to convey oracles.