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遊里 (ゆうり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

遊ゆう里り

ゆ

う

り

Meanings

1

noun

red-light district; pleasure quarters

Historical term for a licensed entertainment and prostitution district, especially in the Edo period. In modern contexts, it may sound literary or old-fashioned.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、吉よし原わらは有ゆう名めいな遊ゆう里りだった。
In the Edo period, Yoshiwara was a famous red-light district.

Kanji

遊play
里ri, village, parent's home

Similar words

花か街がい
花街 also refers to a red-light district but often emphasizes the presence of geisha and traditional entertainment, whereas 遊里 is a broader, more historical term for licensed quarters.
赤あか線せん
赤線 is a post-war term for designated red-light districts, more specific to the 1946–1958 period, while 遊里 is a pre-modern term.

Etymology

Compound of 遊 (play, amusement) and 里 (village, district), literally 'pleasure village'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since the Edo period to denote licensed quarters.