noun
sexually transmitted disease; venereal disease
An older, somewhat euphemistic term for sexually transmitted diseases, now largely replaced by 性感染症 (seikansenshō) in medical contexts. Still understood but may sound dated.
花柳病は昔、深刻な社会問題だった。
Venereal disease was once a serious social problem.
彼は花柳病の治療のために病院へ行った
He went to the hospital for treatment of a sexually transmitted disease.
General term for venereal disease, less clinical than 性感染症 but more common than 花柳病.
Compound of 花柳 (karyū, 'flowers and willows', a euphemism for the red-light district) and 病 (byō, 'disease'). The term reflects historical associations between sexually transmitted diseases and licensed quarters.