noun
Edo-period outcaste group
Historical term for the lowest social stratum in the Edo period, including ex-convicts, vagrants, and certain performers. Not used in modern social classification.
江戸時代、非人は士農工商の下に置かれた身分とされる。
In the Edo period, hinin were considered a status below the samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants.
noun
non-human (Buddhism)
Buddhist term contrasting human existence with other realms such as animals, hungry ghosts, or hell beings. Rare in everyday language.
仏教では、非人とは人間以外の衆生を指すことがある。
In Buddhism, hinin can refer to sentient beings other than humans.
From 非 (hi, 'not') + 人 (nin, 'person'). The historical caste sense developed during the Edo period; the Buddhist sense is a direct translation of the Sanskrit concept of non-human beings.