Dated term for a baby or infant; 赤ちゃん is the modern everyday word. Still used in literary, historical, or formal contexts.
See also: 赤ちゃん
In the old tale, an elderly couple finds a baby floating down the river.
It's like twisting a baby's hand (very easy).
赤ん坊 is the common modern word for a baby, while 赤子 means almost the same thing but sounds old-fashioned or literary.
Standard kanji spelling; common in news and literary contexts.
Alternate kanji form; less common than 赤子.
Compound of 赤 (aka, 'red') and 子 (ko, 'child'), referring to the reddish skin of a newborn. The reading あかご is a rendaku form of あかこ.