also: ともべ
group of court workers (Yamato period)
Historical term for a group of people who served the imperial court during the Yamato period. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.
Shinabe is a historical term referring to groups that served the imperial court during the Yamato period.
craftsmen and artisans under the ritsuryō system
Under the ritsuryō legal system, 品部 referred to various groups of specialized craftsmen and artisans. This usage is also historical.
Under the ritsuryō system, shinabe engaged in various crafts.
Standard kanji form for the historical term; reading しなべ is the primary reading.
Alternate reading ともべ is less common and may be encountered in specialized historical texts.
The term 品部 is a historical designation; its exact derivation is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with the kanji 品 (goods, items) and 部 (division, group), reflecting the groups' roles in producing goods for the court.