noun
Archaic term for a stipend or salary, typically paid in kind (e.g., rice) rather than cash. Used in historical contexts, especially referring to samurai or official compensation.
江戸時代、武士は食俸として米を受け取っていた。
In the Edo period, samurai received rice as a stipend.
この史料には、役人の食俸が記録されている。
This historical document records the stipends of officials.
Compound of 食 (food, eating) and 俸 (stipend, salary). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects a system where compensation was provided in the form of food or provisions.