General
mamasan
What does mamasan mean?
The female boss of a massage parlor or brothel — the one taking your cash at the door, assigning the girl, and running the room. Borrowed from Japanese (mama + the honorific -san), spread through US military slang in postwar Asia and now standard vocabulary in the parlor trade worldwide.
"Tip the mamasan on the way in if you want first pick next time."
Origin
Japanese 'mama-san' (ママさん), picked up by US servicemen in occupied Japan and Vietnam-era bars, then carried into the parlor trade.
Frequently asked questions
What does mamasan mean?
The mamasan is the woman who runs a massage parlor — handling the books, money, and girls.
How do you use mamasan in a sentence?
"You pay the mamasan at the front before anything else."
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