廓くるわ

noun

district; quarter

General term for a demarcated area or quarter within a larger settlement, often historical.

• 城じょう下か町まちには武ぶ家けの廓くるわがあった。

  There was a samurai quarter in the castle town.

noun

enclosure; earthwork enclosure

Specifically refers to an area enclosed by earthen walls or moats, common in Japanese castle architecture.

• 本ほん丸まるは城しろの中ちゅう心しんの廓くるわだ。

  The honmaru is the central enclosure of the castle.

noun

red-light district

Historical term for a licensed pleasure quarter, such as Yoshiwara in Edo.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、吉よし原わらは有ゆう名めいな廓くるわだった。

  In the Edo period, Yoshiwara was a famous red-light district.

prefix, suffix

wide and empty

Only when written 廓 · Only with reading かく

Rare prefix or suffix meaning 'wide and empty', used only with the kanji 廓 and reading かく. Found in a few compounds like 廓然.

• 「廓かく然ぜん」は、かくぜんと読よみ、広ひろく何なにもない様よう子すを表あらわす。

  廓然 is read かくぜん and describes a wide, empty state.