lower official; petty official
Historical term for a low-ranking government official or clerk, especially in pre-modern bureaucratic systems. Not used in modern administrative contexts.
In the Edo period, lower officials handled miscellaneous duties at the town magistrate's office.
He worked as a lower official at the local government office.
He was appointed as a lower official at a young age.
小役人 is a colloquial, often derogatory term for a petty bureaucrat, while 下吏 is a more formal historical designation for the same low rank.
高官 refers to a high-ranking official, the opposite of the low-ranking 下吏.
Standard kanji form for this historical term.
Composed of 下 (lower) and 吏 (official). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since classical times to denote subordinate officials.