Formal or historical term for a female sex worker, often used in legal or literary contexts. In modern everyday language, 売春婦 or 風俗嬢 are more common.
Before the war, there were many prostitutes in the red-light district.
The word 娼妓 is not used much in modern times.
geisha and prostitutes
Sino-Japanese compound of 娼 (prostitute) and 妓 (female entertainer). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.