Geisha

Geisha (Japanese: 芸 seniman "artist") are traditional Japanese entertainers. The word geiko is used in Kyoto to refer to that individual. Geisha were very common in the 18th and 19th centuries, and they still exist today, although they are not large in number. "Geisha" is pronounced in English: / ˈgeɪ ʃa / ("gei-" - "may"). In Kansai, the terms "geiko" (芸 妓) and budding geisha "maiko" (舞 妓) have been used since the Meiji Restoration. The term "maiko" is only used in the Kyoto district. The pronunciation ˈgi ʃa ("gei-" - "key") or "geisha girl" commonly used during the US occupation in Japan, contains the connotation of prostitution. In the People's Republic of China, the word used is "yi ji," whose pronunciation is similar to "ji" in Mandarin which means prostitution.