noun
prostitute; courtesan
Archaic term for a female sex worker, used in historical contexts.
遊び女は江戸時代の吉原などで見られた。
Prostitutes were seen in places like Yoshiwara during the Edo period.
Compound of 遊び (asobi, 'play, entertainment') and 女 (me, 'woman'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely referred to women who entertained men, later narrowing to mean prostitute.