Derogatory abbreviation of 三一侍 (さんぴんざむらい). Refers to a low-ranking samurai, originally from the dice roll 三一 (three and one) implying a poor hand. Historical term; not used in modern contexts.
See also: 三一侍
In the Edo period, there were low-ranking samurai called 三一.
rolling three and one (in dice)
Original meaning: a dice roll of three and one, considered a poor combination. Now mostly encountered in historical or game contexts.
If you roll a three and one, you lose.
low-ranking samurai (derogatory)
Kanji spelling for both the dice term and the historical abbreviation.
From the dice roll 三一 (three and one), considered a poor hand, later used as a derogatory term for low-ranking samurai via the abbreviation of 三一侍.