遊女(ゆうじょ)

ゆうじょ
noun
courtesan; prostitute
1. courtesan; prostitute
A woman who provided entertainment and companionship in the licensed pleasure quarters of pre-modern Japan. The term is primarily historical.
遊女(ゆうじょ)の生活(せいかつ)は厳(きび)しかった。
The life of a courtesan was harsh.
江戸時代(えどじだい)には多(おお)くの遊女(ゆうじょ)が吉原(よしわら)で働(はたら)いていた。
During the Edo period, many courtesans worked in Yoshiwara.
浮世絵(うきよえ)には美(うつく)しい遊女(ゆうじょ)の姿(すがた)が数多(かずおお)く描(えが)かれている。
Many beautiful courtesans are depicted in ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

USAGE:
A historical term referring to women in the licensed pleasure quarters of pre-modern Japan. Commonly encountered in literature about the Edo period and in discussions of ukiyo-e art.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 花魁(おいらん) (high-ranking courtesan)
  • 遊郭(ゆうかく) (pleasure quarter)
  • 吉原(よしわら) (Yoshiwara, the famous pleasure district in Edo)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 花魁(おいらん): specifically a high-ranking courtesan in Yoshiwara
  • 芸者(げいしゃ): a geisha — an entertainer, distinct from a courtesan
general
Added 2026.3.14 11:12
16500/16645_yuujo