noun
Archaic colloquial term for a pawnshop, derived from the wordplay that both 七 (seven) and 質 (pawn) can be read as しち.
江戸時代には「七つ屋」という言葉が質屋を指す隠語として使われた。
In the Edo period, the word 七つ屋 was used as a slang term for a pawnshop.
Standard modern term for pawnshop; 七つ屋 is an archaic colloquial synonym.
From the wordplay that both 七 (seven) and 質 (pawn) can be read as しち, giving rise to the colloquial term 七つ屋 for pawnshop.