売春(ばいしゅん)

ばいしゅん
noun
prostitution
1. prostitution
The act of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. A legal and social term used in news, law, and academic discussion.
売春(ばいしゅん)は法律(ほうりつ)で禁止(きんし)されている。
Prostitution is prohibited by law.
売春防止法(ばいしゅんぼうしほう)は1956年(ねん)に制定(せいてい)された。
The Anti-Prostitution Act was enacted in 1956.
人身売買(じんしんばいばい)と売春(ばいしゅん)の問題(もんだい)は国際的(こくさいてき)な課題(かだ���)となっている。
The issues of human trafficking and prostitution have become international challenges.

Composed of 売(ばい) (to sell) and 春(しゅん) (spring), where "spring" is a literary euphemism for sexual activity. A formal term used in legal, news, and academic contexts.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 売春防止法(ばいしゅんぼうしほう): Anti-Prostitution Act
  • 売春(ばいしゅん)を強要(きょうよう)する: to force into prostitution
  • 売春(ばいしゅん)行為(こうい): act of prostitution
  • 児童(じどう)売春(ばいしゅん): child prostitution

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 買春(ばいしゅん/かいしゅん): buying sex — the counterpart viewed from the buyer's side; sometimes read かいしゅん to distinguish it
  • 援助交際(えんじょこうさい): compensated dating — a euphemism sometimes used for transactional sexual relationships
  • 風俗(���うぞく): the sex industry — colloquial shorthand for 風俗営業(ふうぞくえいぎょう)

ETYMOLOGY:
The use of 春(しゅん) (spring) as a euphemism for sexual matters comes from classical Chinese literary tradition, where spring symbolized romantic and sexual love.

general
Added 2026.4.27 21:21
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