Translation guide
A man who engages in sexual activity for money. In Japanese, the term depends on context, target clientele, and formality. The most common and neutral term is 男娼 (danshō), but other words exist for specific situations.
The most common, neutral way to refer to a male prostitute in Japanese.
Standard, neutral term for a male prostitute. Can be used in most contexts.
彼は男娼として働いている。
He works as a male prostitute.
More explicit and formal, literally 'male prostitute'. Used in legal or official contexts.
男性売春婦の権利について議論する。
Discuss the rights of male prostitutes.
Specifically a male prostitute who has male clients, often in gay culture.
Short for 売り専 (uri-sen), meaning a man who sells sex to other men. Common in gay slang.
彼はウリ専のボーイとして有名だ。
He's famous as a rent boy.
Full form of ウリ専. Slightly more explicit.
売り専の店で働く。
Work at a male brothel.
Literally 'gay boy', often implying a young male prostitute in gay bars or clubs. Can be derogatory.
May be considered offensive or outdated. Use with care.
A male prostitute who specifically caters to women.
The general term 男娼 can also apply, but context usually clarifies the clientele.
女性向けの男娼サービス。
Male escort service for women.
Explicit phrase: 'male prostitute for women'.
女性向けの男性売春婦は珍しい。
Male prostitutes for women are rare.
Refers to male hosts at host clubs who entertain female clients. While not explicitly prostitution, sexual services may be implied in some contexts.
ホスト primarily means 'host' and does not inherently mean prostitute. Use only when the context implies paid sexual services.
Older or literary terms for male prostitutes, often from the Edo period.
Historical term for a young male prostitute or kabuki actor who also sold sex. Used in Edo-period contexts.
陰間茶屋は江戸時代に存在した。
Kagemajaya (male brothels) existed in the Edo period.
Refers to young male attendants or actors who sometimes engaged in prostitution. Not exclusively a prostitute, but used in historical contexts.
Direct translations like '男の売春婦' sound unnatural. Use the established terms above.
男娼 is the general, neutral term. ウリ専 is specifically for male-male prostitution and is slang. Use 男娼 in formal or unknown contexts.
Work as a rent boy in Shinjuku Ni-chōme.
彼はホストクラブで働いているが、売春もしているらしい。
He works at a host club, but apparently also does prostitution.
若衆は歌舞伎の世界で重要な役割を果たした。
Wakashu played an important role in the kabuki world.