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> 水商売 【みずしょうばい】 (n) (1) chancy trade (business) with a high turnover rate and
> uncertain profitability; (2) the entertainment, eating, and drinking
> business; (3) the night entertainment (nightlife) business

The implied meanings behind the use of 水 in 水商売 seems varied and colorful.
Would anyone care to explain the usage? I take it that 水 here both refers to
liquor as well as the "flow" of the trade and the risk (such as the risk from
wet weather) that comes with these types of businesses. Is the diverse set of
meanings in 水 here used in other compound words or expressions?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-27T20:23:49.127
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2012-07-04T09:36:23.373
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words
Can someone explain the use of 水 in 水商売?
The answer that I think is the most likely [is on
Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizu_sh%C5%8Dbai), which is that the
term derives from maybe as far back as the Tokugawa era, where there was
overlap between bath houses and the sex trade. The water in the bath houses
became a euphemistic reference for the sex trade.

However, I noted that the reference cited on the Wikipedia page for that
explanation linked to a text by [Boye De
Mente](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy%C3%A9_Lafayette_De_Mente), who is far
from a reliable source of information about Japan. So a more believable
reference would be advised if you need something truly authorative.

On that same page, they also have references to possible origins from Japanese
phrases that link water to aspects of the sex trade:

  * `勝負{しょうぶ}は水物{みずもの}だ` ("Gain or loss is a matter of chance"). The idea here is that the entertainment industry (which extends to the sex trade) is fickle, and success comes and goes like the flowing of water.
  * `泥水{どろみず}稼業{かぎょう}` ("muddy water earning business"), a term for illicit business
  * `水茶屋{みずちゃや}` ("public teahouse"), which seems to imply that at some point in Japanese history you could probably find your way to the sex trade by going into certain teahouses.

I think the origins in these phrases are a little bit overthought, but then
what do I know? Maybe they're true.

In any case, it seems like the true origin isn't known for sure, but hopefully
these will be helpful for you.
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2012-06-28T06:38:09.843
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2012-07-04T09:36:23.373
2012-07-04T09:36:23.373
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A few explanations found on the

  * 水 comes from 水物, as in 勝負は水物だ. This expresses the lack of guarantee regarding return.
  * Like a flow of water, income is indefinite
  * Work in red light districts was called 「泥水稼業」or「泥水商売」 (ie. work in dirty places)
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2012-06-28T06:51:38.933
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2012-06-28T06:51:38.933
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answer