1.
Orihime; the Weaver Princess
a figure from the Tanabata legend who represents the star Vega, separated from her lover Hikoboshi (Altair) by the Milky Way and allowed to meet him only once a year on the seventh of July
織姫と彦星の伝説は有名だ。
The legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi is famous.
七夕の夜に織姫と彦星が会える。
On the night of Tanabata, Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet.
子どもたちは七夕の日に、織姫と彦星の物語を聞きながら短冊に願いごとを書いた。
On Tanabata, the children wrote their wishes on paper strips while listening to the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi.
2.
weaver woman; woman who weaves cloth
a woman whose occupation is weaving fabric on a loom
昔は織姫が布を織っていた。
In the old days, weaver women used to weave cloth.
村の織姫たちが美しい反物を作った。
The village weaver women made beautiful bolts of cloth.
機織りの技術を受け継いだ織姫は、地域の伝統工芸を支えていた。
Weaver women who inherited the craft of weaving supported the region's traditional arts.
Written with 織 (weaving) and 姫 (princess, young woman). In its primary sense, 織姫 refers to the celestial weaver from the 七夕 (Tanabata) festival legend, based on the Chinese tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The star Vega in the constellation Lyra represents 織姫, while Altair represents 彦星.
CULTURAL NOTE:
The 七夕 festival on July 7th celebrates this story. People write wishes on 短冊 (paper strips) and hang them on bamboo branches, hoping for clear skies so the lovers can cross the 天の川 (Milky Way) to reunite.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 彦星: Hikoboshi; the Cowherd Star (Altair) — 織姫's lover in the legend
- 七夕: Tanabata; Star Festival — the festival celebrating their reunion
- 機織り: weaving — the act of weaving on a loom