Shiseibyō

Shiseibyō (子性病), sometimes romanized as Shiseisho, refers to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Japanese. The term is less commonly used in modern Japanese compared to more direct terms or loanwords, but it historically served as a blanket term for diseases acquired through sexual contact. While the literal translation could be interpreted as "child-gender disease," the "child" (子) character here doesn't directly relate to children. Instead, it is used more broadly to indicate something that is born or produced (like a symptom of a disease). The "gender" (性) refers to sexuality, and the "disease" (病) refers to illness or malady.

The use of Shiseibyō carries a slightly antiquated or formal tone. More prevalent and contemporary terms include 性感染症 (seikansenshō), which directly translates to "sexually transmitted infection," and imported English loanwords like エイズ (eizu) for AIDS. The specific disease name, such as 淋病 (rinbyō) for gonorrhea, would also be used where applicable for clarity and precision. The term Shiseibyō may still be encountered in older literature, historical medical records, or in specific contexts where a general, older-style term is desired.