芸者
geisha[ɡe̞ːɕa̠]
The English name Keisha can be translated into Japanese as 芸者 (geisha) or キーシャ.
芸者 (geisha) refers to a traditional Japanese female entertainer trained in various arts. However, if you are referring to the English name Keisha, the informal way to write it is キーシャ.
Which one should you use?
芸者 is the term for a traditional entertainer, while キーシャ is the phonetic transcription used for the name Keisha.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is geisha.
Did you know?
- The word 芸者 literally means 'person of art'. In the early 17th century, the first 芸者 were actually men who performed music and dance.
- While the word 芸者 is often associated with beauty, the character 芸 originally referred to the cultivation of herbs and vegetables before it came to mean 'art' or 'skill'.
- While English speakers often confuse them, 芸者 are distinct from 舞妓 (maiko). A 舞妓 is an apprentice who is still in training to become a full 芸者.
Examples in context
- あの芸者はとても美しいです。Ano geisha wa totemo utsukushii desu.That geisha is very beautiful.
- 芸者の舞はとても優雅です。Geisha no mai wa totemo yuuga desu.The geisha's dance is very elegant.
- 京都には芸者がたくさんいます。Kyoto ni wa geisha ga takusan imasu.There are many geisha in Kyoto.
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are discussing their trip to Kyoto.
- 結衣 Yui大翔、京都で芸者に会った？Hiroto, Kyōto de geisha ni atta?Hiroto, did you meet a geisha in Kyoto?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、舞を見せてくれたよ。Un, mai o misete kureta yo.Yes, she showed me a dance.
- 結衣 Yuiすごいね！どんな感じだった？Sugoi ne! Donna kanji datta?That's amazing! What was it like?
- 大翔 Hirotoとても優雅で感動したよ。Totemo yūga de kandō shita yo.It was very elegant and I was moved.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 芸者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
