na-adjective, noun
poor and lowly; impoverished and humble
Describes a state of being both economically poor and socially low in status. Often used in literary or historical contexts.
彼は貧賤の出ながら、努力で身を立てた。
Though he came from a poor and lowly background, he made a success of himself through hard work.
貧賤の交わりは忘れがたい。
Friendships formed in humble circumstances are hard to forget.
Compound of 貧 (poor) and 賤 (lowly, humble). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination directly conveys the dual sense of poverty and low social standing.