also: じょろ · じょうろ
noun
prostitute; courtesan
Historical term for a prostitute, especially during the Edo period. In modern contexts, it is archaic and may appear in historical dramas or literature.
江戸時代、吉原には多くの女郎がいた。
In the Edo period, there were many courtesans in Yoshiwara.
この小説では、女郎の悲しい運命が描かれている
This novel depicts the sad fate of a prostitute.
Obsolete reading; may appear in historical texts.
Obsolete reading; may appear in historical texts.
Rare variant kanji form; 臈 is a non-standard character for this word.
The term 女郎 (じょろう) is composed of 女 (woman) and 郎 (a suffix for males, but here used in the sense of 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it became a common term for prostitutes in the Edo period.