also: むざね · ただみ
noun
the real person; said person
Archaic term referring to the actual individual in question, often used in legal or formal contexts to distinguish from a proxy or representation.
古文書では、代理人ではなく正身が署名する必要があった。
In old documents, the real person, not a proxy, had to sign.
noun
Only with reading むざね
Archaic term for a genuine item, not a fake or imitation. Restricted to the reading むざね.
この刀はむざねの業物で、偽物ではない。
This sword is a genuine masterpiece, not a fake.
Kanji form for the reading むざね, meaning 'genuine article'. Rare and archaic.
Alternate reading; rarely used in modern Japanese. Included for searchability.
The exact derivation is uncertain. 正身 literally combines 'correct' and 'body/person', suggesting the true self. むざね may be a compound of 実 (truth) and 真 (true), but the historical development is unclear.