河原かわら乞こ食じき

noun

actor; player; thespian

Derogatory term for actors, originating from Edo-period Kyoto where unlicensed performers acted on the dry riverbed near Shijō Bridge, likening them to beggars. Now dated and offensive; modern neutral terms are 俳優 or 役者.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、四し条じょう河がわ原らで芝しば居いをしていた役やく者しゃは「河原かわら乞こ食じき」と呼よばれた。

  In the Edo period, actors who performed on the Shijō riverbank were called 'riverbank beggars'.

• 今いまでは「河原かわら乞こ食じき」は差さ別べつ的てきな言こと葉ばとして使つかわれない。

  Nowadays, 'kawara kojiki' is not used as it is a discriminatory term.