色いろ町まち

い

ろ

ま

ち

Meanings

Refers to an area with many brothels, bars, and adult entertainment establishments. Often used in historical or literary contexts, but still understood today.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、この辺あたりは色いろ町まちとして栄さかえた。
During the Edo period, this area flourished as a red-light district.
彼かれは色いろ町まちで夜よるを過すごした。
He spent the night in the red-light district.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

色color
町town, village, block
街boulevard, street, town

Related words

遊ゆう郭かく
遊郭 specifically refers to a licensed pleasure quarter with a historical, regulated system, while 色町 is a broader, more colloquial term for any red-light area.
風ふう俗ぞく街がい
風俗街 is a modern term for an adult entertainment district, often implying sex-related businesses, whereas 色町 can carry a more old-fashioned or literary nuance.

Built from

色いろ+町まち

Written forms

色いろ町まちUsage64%
Standard kanji spelling for 'red-light district'.
色いろ街まちUsage36%
Variant spelling using 街 (town/quarter); less common but still seen.

Etymology

Compound of 色 (iro, 'color; love; sensuality') and 町 (machi, 'town'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since the Edo period to denote pleasure quarters.