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側仕え (そばづかえ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

側そば仕づかえ

そ

ば

づ

か

え

Meanings

1

noun

personal attendant; valet; maid

Historical term for a servant who attends to a person of high rank, such as a lord or lady. Not used for modern service jobs.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、大だい名みょうには側そば仕づかえが何なん人にんもいた。
In the Edo period, a daimyo had several personal attendants.
彼かの女じょは姫ひめの側そば仕づかえと

Kanji

側side, lean, oppose
仕attend, doing, official

Similar words

従じゅう者しゃ
従者 is a more general term for an attendant or follower, not necessarily a personal servant, and can be used in modern contexts.
お手伝てつだいさん
お手伝いさん is a modern, polite term for a domestic helper or maid, whereas 側仕え is historical and specific to personal attendance on a high-ranking individual.

Etymology

Compound of 側 (そば, 'side, nearby') and 仕え (つかえ, 'service'), from the verb 仕える (つかえる, 'to serve'). Literally 'serving at one's side'.

し

て

城しろ

で

働はたら

い

て

い

た

。

She worked at the castle as the princess's personal maid.