16304
So I started watching the movie あかひげ the other night and intrigued by the
title I looked it up in the dictionary where one of the definitions was:

> Westerner (derogatory)

Does it really contain this meaning?

How is this used (if it is indeed used?!?) in modern Japanese?

If it's not used what word can be used to express "Westerner (derogatory)" in
modern Japanese?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-05T16:47:35.087
16302
2016-03-20T10:38:20.603
5518
question
word-usage
あかひげ [赤髭] modern usage?
Born in Japan and raised in Japan for more than 30 years, I have never seen
"赤ひげ" used as a derogatory term of "westerner".

Before I write this, I did find an entry 赤髭 in a Japanese derogatory terms
glossary, and it does say it's "Westerner (derogatory)." However, more than
90% of the words in that list were totally unfamiliar to me. So I believe it's
safe to say there's no derogatory nuance in "赤ひげ" in modern Japanese. Maybe it
was a derogatory term in the Edo period.

Today, "赤ひげ" reminds Japanese (not younger than 30) of what you've just
watched in the movie; a humane doctor who sacrifices himself and willingly
helps weak people. It is a stereotype of "ideal doctor" in Japan, just like
"黒ひげ" or _Blackbeard_ is the [symbol of
pirates](http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/kurohige/). There is [Akahige
Prize](http://www.med.or.jp/people/akahige/) for doctors.

(However, its original novel,
[赤ひげ診療譚](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B5%A4%E3%81%B2%E3%81%92%E8%A8%BA%E7%99%82%E8%AD%9A),
published in 1958, is full of discriminatory terms and acts by today's
standards...)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-05T19:04:53.037
16304
2014-06-06T04:19:35.907
2014-06-06T04:19:35.907
5010
16302
answer
Another modern sense for 赤髭 or 赤鬚 is that of the アカヒゲ, _Erithacus komadori_ ,
the Ryukyu robin (JA wikipedia page
[here](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%AB%E3%83%92%E3%82%B2), EN
wikipedia page [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Robin)).

![The akahige or Ryukyu
robin.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Erithacus_komadori_-
_National_Museum_of_Nature_and_Science%2C_Tokyo_-_DSC07033.JPG/204px-
Erithacus_komadori_-_National_Museum_of_Nature_and_Science%2C_Tokyo_-
_DSC07033.JPG)

Oddly, the コマドリ or Japanese robin has the species name _Erithacus akahige_.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-05T20:20:22.873
16305
2014-06-05T20:20:22.873
5229
16302
answer
赤髭 refers to a fictional, ideal doctor who lived in a downtown of Edo, though
there could be perhaps some real models. He took a good care of poor people
living in the slums. He didn’t receive doctor’s fee from the needy.

He didn’t mind to visit and treat sick persons anytime whenever at any place
wherever in their need. Not only being a good-hearted, lighthearted and
merciful man with sense of justice, he was also a master of martial art. He
fought resolutely against power and injustice, and busted on rascals and
punished those who bully the weak.

There are various versions of 赤髭譚 – Akahige stories in novels, films, and TV
drama series. 赤髭 is an ideal character of a man, and there’s no derogatory
sense in the word, 赤髭 sui generis.

I suspect the O.P.'s been confusing 赤髭 with 赤毛, which certainly means
“westerner(s)” and has a derogatory tone.

We also have the similar expression, 紅毛人, of which literal translation is a
man with red hair. Both words, 赤毛 and 紅毛人 were invented in the late Edo era
when Japanese first encountered the so-called 黒船 ‐ the Black ship and their
crew led by the Captain Mathew Perry in 1853. The words were current until
early 19 century. But both words are completely obsolete today, together with
毛唐、a derogatory description of westerners.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-18T21:49:41.270
32971
2016-03-20T10:38:20.603
2016-03-20T10:38:20.603
12056
12056
16302
answer