small stipend for bereaved family dependants (Edo period)
Historical term for a modest allowance paid to the dependants of a deceased person, particularly during the Edo period.
In the Edo period, the sutebuchi was a small allowance that supported the livelihood of the bereaved family.
Compound of 捨て (sute, 'throwing away' or 'discarding') + 扶持 (fuchi, 'stipend' or 'allowance'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely refers to a minimal, almost token, support payment.