女にょう房ぼう詞ことば

にょ

う

ぼ

う

こ

と

ば

Meanings

noun

court ladies' secret language; women's language of the Muromachi period

A historical sociolect used by court ladies in the Muromachi period, characterized by euphemistic and elegant expressions, often replacing direct terms with indirect or softened words.

女にょう房ぼう詞ことばは、室むろ町まち時じ代だいの宮きゅう中ちゅうで女にょう房ぼうたち

が

使つか

っ

た

独どく

特とく

の

言こと

葉ば

遣づか

い

です

。

Nyōbō kotoba is a distinctive style of speech used by court ladies in the imperial palace during the Muromachi period.

「おかず」や「おひや」などの言こと葉ばは、もともと女にょう房ぼう詞ことばから来きていると言いわれています。

Words like 'okazu' (side dish) and 'ohiya' (cold water) are said to originate from nyōbō kotoba.

Kanji

女woman, female
房tassel, tuft, fringe
詞part of speech, words, poetry
言say, word
葉leaf, plane, lobe

Related words

女にょう房ぼう
Refers to a court lady or wife; 女房詞 is the language specifically associated with court ladies.
御ご所しょ言こと葉ば
Another term for court language, sometimes overlapping with 女房詞 but broader, referring to language used in the imperial court.

Written forms

女にょう房ぼう詞ことば
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
女にょう房ぼう言こと葉ば
Variant spelling using 言葉 instead of 詞; both are seen.

Etymology

Compound of 女房 (nyōbō, 'court lady') and 詞 (kotoba, 'word/language'). The term refers to the specialized vocabulary and euphemisms developed by court ladies during the Muromachi period.