noun
apprentice; indentured servant
Historical term for a person bound by a fixed-term contract, often in apprenticeship or servitude during the Edo period. Not used in modern employment contexts.
江戸時代には、年期者が商家で修業を積んだ。
In the Edo period, apprentices trained at merchant houses.
A more specific term for a young apprentice or errand boy in a merchant house, often overlapping with 年期者 but emphasizing youth and menial tasks.
Compound of 年期 (nenki, 'fixed term') and 者 (mono, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term clearly refers to a person bound by a time-limited contract.