ポン引き
ponbiki[põ̞mbʲikʲi]
The English phrase 'pimp' can be translated into Japanese as ポン引き (ponbiki) or 女衒 (zegen).
Meaning: prostitution solicitor (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ポン引き | ponbiki | [põ̞mbʲikʲi] (narrow) |
| 女衒 | zegen | [d͡ze̞ɡẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
Both terms are used to describe a prostitution solicitor or procurer.
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean 'pimp' or 'procurer', ポン引き is the common slang used in modern underworld contexts, whereas 女衒 sounds archaic or academic.
How do you pronounce it?
ponbiki
Did you know?
- The word 女衒 (zegen) is composed of the characters for 'woman' and 'merchant', literally framing the act of pimping as a form of 'trading in women'.
- The term ポン引き is often categorized as 'gokudō slang', meaning it is specifically associated with the language of the Yakuza and organized crime.
- Unlike the English 'pimp', which can be used as a slang verb meaning to customize a car or 'dress up' something, ポン引き (ponbiki) is strictly a noun and cannot be used to mean 'decorating' something.
Examples in context
- 彼はポン引きとして働いている。Kare wa ponbiki to shite hataraite iru.He is working as a pimp.
- あのポン引きは非常に狡猾だ。Ano ponbiki wa hijō ni kōkatsu da.That pimp is very cunning.
- ポン引きに騙されないように注意してください。Ponbiki ni damasarenai yō ni chūi shite kudasai.Please be careful not to be deceived by a pimp.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Ren are walking through a nightlife district.
- 陽葵 Himariあそこにポン引きがいるよ。Asoko ni ponbiki ga iru yo.There is a pimp over there.
- 蓮 Ren本当に、しつこそうだな。Hontou ni, shitsukosou da na.Indeed, he looks persistent.
- 陽葵 Himari無視して早く行こう。Mushi shite hayaku ikou.Let's just ignore him and go quickly.
- 蓮 Renそうだね、行こう。Sou da ne, ikou.You're right, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pimp” translations and entries ポン引き, 女衒, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
