noun
tenant farmer
Refers to a farmer who rents land from a landowner, especially in historical or rural contexts.
江戸時代には、多くの小作人が地主から土地を借りて農業を営んでいた。
During the Edo period, many tenant farmers rented land from landowners to engage in agriculture.
農民 is a broader term for 'farmer' or 'peasant', not specifying tenancy.
Compound of 小作 (kosaku, 'tenant farming') and 人 (nin, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.