Pimiko
/pɪˈmiːkoʊ/noun
Pimiko is an alternative English transcription of Himiko, the third-century queen or shaman-ruler of Yamatai described in Chinese chronicles.
Did you know?Pimiko is not securely etymologized: the original Japanese form of her name is unknown, and scholars debate whether she was chiefly a monarch, a shaman, or both.
Etymological Timeline
3rd Century
Chinese
卑弥呼 (Bīmíhū)
“The name recorded in the Chinese chronicle Wei Zhi for a female ruler of Wa; its pronunciation reflects Middle Chinese rather than Japanese.”
3rd Century
Japanese
Himiko
“The conventional modern Japanese reading of the ruler’s name, though the original ancient pronunciation and meaning remain uncertain.”
8th Century
Japanese
Himiko
“The name appears in later Japanese historical tradition, including accounts connecting her with an ancient ruler or diviner.”
19th Century
English
Pimiko
“An English scholarly transcription based on older reconstructions of the Chinese form, using p- rather than the modern Japanese h- reading.”
Modern English
English
Pimiko
“A variant historical name for the enigmatic third-century queen more commonly called Himiko.”