紅こう毛もう船せん

noun

foreign ship (historical); Dutch ship (early use)

Archaic colloquial term from the Edo period. Originally referred to Dutch ships (literally 'red-hair ships'), later extended to all Western foreign vessels. Not used in modern Japanese except in historical contexts.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、紅こう毛もう船せんは長なが崎さきに来らい航こうした。

  In the Edo period, Dutch ships (紅毛船) called at Nagasaki.

• 「紅こう毛もう船せん」という言こと葉ばは、もともとオランダ船せんを指さしたが、後のちに西せい洋ようの船ふね全ぜん般ぱんを指さすようになった。

  The word 紅毛船 originally referred to Dutch ships, but later came to mean Western ships in general.