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好色物 (こうしょくもの) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

好こう色しょく物もの

こ

う

しょ

く

も

の

Meanings

1

pornographic book (Edo period)

Historical term for erotic literature or illustrated books from the Edo period. Not used for modern pornography.

江え戸ど時じ代だいの好こう色しょく物ものは、浮うき世よ絵

え

と

とも

に

人にん

気き

を

博はく

し

た

。

Edo-period pornographic books were popular alongside ukiyo-e prints.

Kanji

好fond, pleasing, like something
色color
物thing, object, matter

Related words

春しゅん画が
春画 refers specifically to erotic ukiyo-e prints, while 好色物 is a broader term for pornographic books or literature.
ポルノ
ポルノ is the modern loanword for pornography in general, whereas 好色物 is a historical term limited to Edo-period works.

Built from

好こう色しょく+物もの

Written forms

好こう色しょく物もの
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
好こう色しょくもの
Variant spelling with もの in kana; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Compound of 好色 (こうしょく, 'lustful, lewd') and 物 (もの, 'thing, object'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern for naming types of books or objects.