lower government office (ritsuryō system)
Historical term for a subordinate government office in the ritsuryō state. Not used in modern administrative contexts.
retainer; servant of a higher-ranking person (medieval)
Refers to a servant or retainer serving a higher-ranking individual during Japan's medieval period. Often used in historical texts.
servant of an urban family
Historical term for a servant working for a town-dwelling family. Usage is limited to pre-modern contexts.
Appears in the compound 被官百姓, referring to a serf or peasant bound to a lord. Rare standalone use.
See also: 被官百姓
Under the ritsuryō system, the hikan were under the command of higher government offices.
Medieval warriors kept many retainers.
In Edo-period townhouses, servants helped with household chores.
The serfs paid tribute to the feudal lord.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
Variant kanji spelling; less common than 被官.
The term 被官 is composed of 被 (receive, be subject to) and 官 (government office, official). It originally referred to a subordinate office in the ritsuryō system and later extended to mean a retainer or servant under a higher authority. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.