low birth; humble origin
Refers to being born into a low social class or having humble origins. Often used in historical or literary contexts.
He was of low birth, but he made his way through hard work.
Describes something as low-class, crude, or vulgar in character, behavior, or taste. Often used in a derogatory sense.
Everyone frowned at his vulgar behavior.
Standard kanji form; 賤 is the modern standard character for this word.
Variant using 賎, an older or alternative form of 賤; less common in modern usage.
Compound of 下 (ge, 'low') and 賤 (sen, 'lowly, humble'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since classical Japanese to denote low social status or vulgarity.