妓

jì

女 + 支

Definitions

jì prostitute

Etymology

A working 支 woman 女; 支 also provides the pronunciation

About

妓 is a phono-semantic compound combining the woman radical 女 on the left with 支 on the right. 支 means "work" or "skill" and also gives the character its pronunciation, so the structure literally suggests a working woman. Historically, it referred to female entertainers professionally trained in singing, dancing, playing instruments, and reciting poetry to amuse guests at banquets. Over time, the meaning shifted entirely, and today 妓 denotes exclusively a female prostitute.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

那个妓女很年轻。

Nàge jìnǚ hěn niánqīng.

That prostitute is very young.

妓院在古代很常见。

Jìyuàn zài gǔdài hěn chángjiàn.

Brothels were common in ancient times.

他从不与妓女交往。

Tā cóng bù yǔ jìnǚ jiāowǎng.

He never associates with prostitutes.

这座城市曾经有很多妓院。

Zhè zuò chéngshì céngjīng yǒu hěnduō jìyuàn.

This city once had many brothels.

她被迫成为妓女以养活家庭。

Tā bèi pò chéngwéi jìnǚ yǐ yǎnghuó jiātíng.

She was forced to become a prostitute to support her family.

政府对妓女行业进行了严格的监管。

Zhèngfǔ duì jìnǚ hángyè jìnxíngle yángé de jiānguǎn.

The government has implemented strict regulation on the prostitution industry.

在古代文学中，妓女往往被描绘成多才多艺的形象。

Zài gǔdài wénxué zhōng, jìnǚ wǎngwǎng bèi miáohuì chéng duōcáiduōyì de xíngxiàng.

In ancient literature, prostitutes are often portrayed as talented and versatile figures.

尽管社会对妓女存在偏见，但一些人权组织正在为她们的权益奔走呼号。

Jǐnguǎn shèhuì duì jìnǚ cúnzài piānjiàn, dàn yīxiē rénquán zǔzhī zhèngzài wèi tāmen de quányì bēnzǒu hūháo.

Although society has prejudices against prostitutes, some human rights organizations are advocating for their rights.

Related Characters

Component: 女

Component: 支

妓