Himedere — what "princess-dere" means and how to recognize her
Himedere — what "princess-dere" means: it describes a character (ヒメデレ) who acts like royalty and expects special treatment, and only melts when she gets that "royal" attention. The word combines 姫 (hime, "princess") and デレデレ (dere-dere, "to melt with affection") — and it is the rarest and most vaguely defined of the dere types.
A himedere gives orders, throws tantrums, and expects compliments, even if the story says she is an ordinary schoolgirl and not an heir to a throne. Let's look at where the word came from, how it differs from plain arrogance, and why of all the "dere" types this one rests on the shakiest examples — unlike the far more recognizable tsundere and yandere.
Himedere: a princess by personality, not by title
ヒメデレ is made from 姫 "princess" and デレ. The character demands respect as if she were royalty — compliments, servility, unconditional admiration — and softens exactly when she receives the desired attention from someone she truly cares about.
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ヒメデレ | himedere · himedere | Himedere — demands attention like a princess |
| 姫 | hime · hime | Princess (first part of the word) |
| お姫様 | ohimesama · ohimesama | Princess (polite form) |
| お嬢様 | ojōsama · ojōsama | Young lady from a noble family |
| 高飛車 | takabisha · takabisha | Arrogant, domineering |
| わがまま | wagamama · wagamama | Selfish, willful |
The "oh-ho-ho" laugh: the signature gesture of the type
The haughty "oh-ho-ho" laugh (おほほ) with a hand at the lips is a recognizable trope in Japanese animation and manga for proud, arrogant heroines. It appeared back in shōjo manga and has since become an almost obligatory gesture for characters who demand royal treatment, including himedere.
姫 — значение: princess — онъёми: キ — кунъёми: ひめ、ひめ- — 10 штрих(ов). 姫 — "princess", the very character that gave the type its name. It also appears in 白雪姫 (Shirayuki-hime) "Snow White", literally "princess of white snow".
Trace 姫 along the guides — the "princess" character that gave himedere its name.
Himedere in practice: signs and one reliable example
- Speaks of herself in superlatives and expects others to agree.
- Gives orders to the person she likes instead of making requests.
- Takes offense if her achievements or appearance are not praised out loud.
- Softens only at an explicit, almost ceremonial sign of attention — not from simple kindness.
Why himedere has so few reliable examples
The closest to a himedere is Erina Nakiri from "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma" (食戟のソーマ, 2015 anime, J.C.Staff). She is a genius culinary critic who has been used to having the last word since childhood and expects the same respect from everyone around her. But she is not always called a himedere strictly: more often she is simply described as an "arrogant young lady" (お嬢様). Unlike tsundere or yandere, this type has no single character who is universally recognized as the definitive example.
FAQ
- What does himedere mean?
- Himedere (ヒメデレ) is a character who demands to be treated like a princess: compliments, servility, admiration — and only warms up at an explicit sign of attention from someone she cares about.
- How is himedere different from tsundere?
- A tsundere is rude to hide affection and is embarrassed by her own softness. A himedere hides nothing: she openly demands admiration and considers it her due, not a reason to be embarrassed.
- How do you say "princess" in Japanese?
- 姫 (hime) is the ordinary word for a princess or a noble girl; the polite form is お姫様 (ohimesama). It is 姫 that became the first part of the word "himedere".
- Are there many himedere among anime heroines?
- Not many. Unlike tsundere or yandere, himedere has neither dictionary status nor universally recognized model characters — fans apply the label to heroines with a domineering, capricious personality quite freely.
Updated: 2026-09-14