noun
mistress; kept woman; concubine
Archaic term for a woman financially supported by a man in a non-marital relationship, often implying a secondary or unofficial status. Related to 手掛け (てかけ), which can refer to the man's side of the arrangement.
See also: 手掛け (てかけ)
江戸時代の文献には、商家の主人が手掛け女を囲う話がよく出てくる。
In Edo-period documents, stories of merchant house masters keeping a mistress often appear.
「手掛け女」は現代ではほとんど使われない古い言葉だ。
手掛け女 is an old word that is hardly used today.
Refers to the man who keeps a mistress, or the act of keeping one; 手掛け女 specifically denotes the woman in such a relationship.
A more common historical term for concubine or mistress, often with stronger legal/social connotations.
Modern neutral term for lover or mistress, without the archaic or financial dependency nuance of 手掛け女.
Compound of 手掛け (てかけ, 'keeping a mistress') + 女 (おんな, 'woman'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is firmly archaic.