Origins of JK
JK, an abbreviation of Joshi Kousei (女子校生) which means high-school girl. The term doesn’t originate from the world of anime and manga but has been referenced every now and then. Just where did this term come from?
JK is derived from the Japanese word Joshi Kousei but is pronounced in English. The term is originally used by people looking for high-school girls in an illegal practice in Japan known as Enjo Kousai (援助交際) which is a practice where young girls are paid to go on dates with typically, an older male. Asides from the obvious red flag that is a typical JK is considered underaged, Enjo Kousai is also considered a form of prostitution which is illegal in Japan. To avoid suspicion from the public, the term JK was adopted for people seeking high-school girls.
As time went on, people outside the circle began to ask the meaning of JK on online forums and as the term gained more awareness from people outside the circle and from media stations covering the stories, the term became slowly made its way to the general public.
Today, the term has mostly ditched its criminal past and is commonly used to refer to high-school girls. The term has even become its own category for different industries like the fashion industry, creating JK fashion that caters to high-school girls.
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