noun
lower classes; underclass; proletariat
Refers to the lowest socioeconomic stratum of society. Often used in sociological or political contexts.
底辺層の生活改善が急務だ。
Improving the lives of the underclass is an urgent task.
彼は底辺層の出身だが、努力で成功した。
He came from the lower classes, but succeeded through hard work.
貧困層 focuses on poverty, whereas 底辺層 is broader, encompassing social status and marginalization.
Compound of 底辺 (bottom, base) and 層 (stratum, layer). The term is a straightforward modern coinage for the lowest social layer.