娼 (chāng) - Prostitute — a woman who engages in sexual & a sex worker.

娼Tone 1

chāng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

娼 · chāng

Prostitute — a woman who engages in sexual activity for payment;

a sex worker.

Prostitute — a woman who engages in sexuala sex worker.

Usage highlights

ProstituteBrothelProstitutionSex tradeProstitute and thiefTo become a prostitute

Synonyms

  • 妓— prostitute, courtesan
  • 婊— whore (vulgar)
  • 卖淫女— female prostitute

Antonyms

  • 贞— chaste, virtuous
  • 洁— pure, clean

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The brothel was raided by police (妓院).
  • Prostitution is illegal in many countries (卖淫).
  • She was forced into sex work (娼妓行业).
  • The term carries strong negative connotations (娼妇).

Collocations

  • Prostitute(娼妓)
  • Brothel(娼馆)
  • Prostitution(卖娼)
  • Sex trade(娼业)
  • Prostitute and thief(娼盗)
  • To become a prostitute(为娼)

Idioms

  • To sell one's body(卖身为娼)
  • Prostitutes and actors were considered low-class(倡优娼妓)
  • To force into prostitution(逼良为娼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically, prostitutes occupied the lowest social class in traditional Chinese society.
  • The character combines the female radical (女) with 昌 (prosperous), suggesting the commercial nature of the profession.
  • In modern usage, the term is considered derogatory and offensive when referring to sex workers.

FAQ