noun
teahouse woman; woman working in a teahouse or restaurant, often providing entertainment or sexual services
Historical term for women employed in Edo-period teahouses (茶屋) or similar establishments, where duties ranged from serving tea to entertaining male customers, sometimes including prostitution. See also 茶屋 and 色茶屋.
江戸時代、茶屋女は茶屋で客をもてなした。
In the Edo period, teahouse women entertained customers at teahouses.
色茶屋では、茶屋女が性的なサービスを提供することもあった。
At brothel-teahouses, teahouse women sometimes provided sexual services.
色茶屋 is a type of teahouse where sexual services were offered; 茶屋女 could work in such establishments.
Compound of 茶屋 (teahouse) and 女 (woman). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the term is now archaic.