janitor; caretaker; custodian; handyman (slighting)
Obsolete term for a school or office janitor/caretaker; sometimes used slightingly. Modern equivalent is 用務員.
See also: 用務員
In old schools, the caretaker looked after the stove.
Nowadays, 小使い is rarely used; 用務員 is used instead.
Standard kanji spelling for this obsolete term.
Abbreviated spelling; less common than 小使い.
Compound of 小 (small, petty) and 使い (errand person, messenger); originally referred to a low-ranking servant doing odd jobs.