noun
favorite retainer; court favorite
Archaic term for a retainer or courtier who enjoys the special favor of a lord or monarch. Compare 寵臣 (ちょうしん), which is more common in historical contexts.
See also: 寵臣
彼は主君の幸臣として、特別な待遇を受けた。
As the lord's favorite retainer, he received special treatment.
寵臣 is a more common and neutral term for a favored retainer or court favorite, while 幸臣 is explicitly archaic and less frequently used.
The term is composed of 幸 (good fortune, favor) and 臣 (retainer, subject). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; it appears in classical texts to denote a retainer who has gained the lord's special favor.