noun
Historical term for a personal scribe or secretary who drafted documents and handled correspondence, especially in samurai households or the shogunate.
江戸時代、右筆は幕府の公文書を作成した。
In the Edo period, the yūhitsu drafted official documents for the shogunate.
彼は大名の右筆として仕えた。
He served as a private secretary to the daimyo.
Modern general term for a secretary; 右筆 is a historical occupation with a focus on calligraphy and document drafting.
From 右 (yū, 'right') and 筆 (hitsu, 'brush'), referring to the person who sat to the right of a lord and handled writing tasks. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.