Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

私娼窟 (shishoukutsu) Japanese meaning: brothel | Kotomora

私し娼しょう窟くつ

し

しょ

う

く

つ

Meanings

1

brothel; house of ill repute; red-light district

archaic

Archaic term for an unlicensed brothel or red-light district, used in historical contexts.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、私し娼しょう窟くつは幕ばく府

Kanji

私private, I, me
娼prostitute
窟cavern

Related words

遊ゆう郭かく
遊郭 refers to a licensed, officially recognized red-light district, while 私娼窟 is an unlicensed, often illegal establishment.

Etymology

Compound of 私娼 (unlicensed prostitute) and 窟 (cave, den), literally meaning 'den of unlicensed prostitutes'.

ふ

の

取と

り

締し

まり

の

対たい

象しょう

だっ

た

。

In the Edo period, unlicensed brothels were subject to regulation by the shogunate.