家いえの子こ郎ろう党どう

also: いえのころうとう

い

え

の

こ

ろ

う

ど

う

Meanings

1

noun

followers; retainers; adherents

Historical term for the loyal followers and retainers of a samurai family or lord; often used in contexts of feudal loyalty.

戦せん国ごく時じ代だい、家いえの子こ郎ろう党どうは主しゅ君くんのために命いのちをかけた。
In the Warring States period, retainers risked their lives for their lord.

彼かれ

は

家いえ

の

子こ

郎ろう

党どう

を

率ひき

い

て

戦せん

場じょう

に

向む

かっ

た

。

He led his followers to the battlefield.

Written forms

家の子郎党
- いえのころうどう
  Standard full form; the reading いえのころうどう is the most common.
- いえのころうとう
  Alternate reading いえのころうとう; rare and possibly archaic.
家子郎党
- いえのころうどう
  Abbreviated form without の; less common but still encountered.
- いえのころうとう
いえのころうとう

Kanji

家house, home, family
子child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM
郎son, counter for sons
党party, faction, clique

Similar words

家け来らい
家来 is a more general term for a retainer or servant, while 家の子郎党 specifically emphasizes hereditary or deeply loyal followers of a samurai house.
郎ろう党どう
郎党 alone can mean a retainer or follower, but 家の子郎党 is a set phrase combining 家の子 (children of the house) and 郎党, stressing the familial bond.

Etymology

Compound of 家の子 (children of the house) and 郎党 (retainers), referring to the hereditary followers of a samurai family. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is firmly associated with feudal loyalty.