妾
しょ
う
Meanings
1
Refers to a woman in a long-term extramarital relationship with a man who supports her financially, or historically a secondary wife. The reading めかけ is more common in modern Japanese for this meaning.
See also: 妾 (めかけ)
There is a rumor that he keeps a mistress.
2
Archaic humble first-person pronoun used by women. The reading わらわ is more typical for this pronoun use; しょう is a less common reading for the same character.
See also: 妾 (わらわ)
"I know nothing of such matters," she said.
Expressions
- 一盗二婢三妾四妓五妻the most thrilling relationships for a man are another man's wife, a maidservant, a mistress, a prostitute, and finally his own wife