noun
rikishi of the lowest rank; lowest-ranked sumo wrestler
Colloquial term for a sumo wrestler at the very bottom of the hierarchy, below jonokuchi. Often used humorously or self-deprecatingly.
See also: 力士
彼はまだふんどし担ぎで、給金もほとんどない。
He's still a rikishi of the lowest rank and barely gets any pay.
noun
underling; lowest man on the totem pole
By extension, a person at the bottom of any hierarchy, doing menial work. Informal and slightly derogatory.
新入社員はみんな最初はふんどし担ぎみたいなものだ。
All new employees are like underlings at first.