鸡 Women Jī  And 野鸡 Yějī  Whore Prostitute

鸡 jī  and 野鸡 yějī 

Whore, prostitute, hooker. Literally “chicken” or “wild chicken/pheasant.” Probably came about in Shanghai during the late 1800s and early 1900s because the city saw a sudden influx of streetwalkers, which was a relatively new sight (as opposed to women who hosted men in teahouses and brothels), and the women were said to look like chickens walking around on the street. Also a play on words because the 鸡 jī, meaning “chicken,” sounds nearly the same as 妓 jì in the formal term for “prostitute” (above). A yějī can also be an illegal business.