black person; person of African descent
Neutral descriptive term in Japanese, but learners should be aware that direct translation equivalents can carry different social weight across languages.
He became the first Black president in the United States.
Learn about the history of the Black community.
woman in the nightlife business; demimondaine; geisha and prostitutes
Archaic term from the Edo period, used as a euphemism for women working in the pleasure quarters, including geisha and prostitutes. Not used in modern Japanese.
See also: 玄人
In the Edo period, the 'kuroto' of Yoshiwara formed a unique culture.