noun
very young fish; young gizzard shad
Only when written 新子
Primarily used for young konoshiro (gizzard shad), but can refer to other very young fish. Often encountered in culinary or fishing contexts.
See also: 鮗 (このしろ)
この時期の新子は刺身にすると美味しい。
Young gizzard shad in this season are delicious as sashimi.
noun
new geisha; novice geisha
Archaic term for a geisha who has just debuted. Not used in modern Japanese; replaced by terms like 新米芸者 or simply 新人.
江戸時代の文献には、新妓として紹介された女性の記録が残っている。
Records from the Edo period mention women introduced as new geisha.
Refers to the adult gizzard shad, while 新子 specifically denotes the very young fish.
Compound of 新 (new) and 子 (child/young). The fish sense likely derives from the idea of a young, newly hatched fish. The geisha sense is an extension referring to a newly debuted entertainer.