noun, na-adjective
low birth; humble origin
Refers to being born into a low social class or having humble origins. Often used in historical or literary contexts.
彼は下賤の出だが、努力で身を立てた。
He was of low birth, but he made his way through hard work.
na-adjective
Describes something as low-class, crude, or vulgar in character, behavior, or taste. Often used in a derogatory sense.
彼の下賤な振る舞いに皆が眉をひそめた。
Everyone frowned at his vulgar behavior.
卑しい also means 'lowly' or 'base', but is more common in modern Japanese and can refer to greed or meanness, while 下賤 specifically emphasizes low social status or vulgarity.
下品 means 'vulgar' or 'crude' in a general sense, often about manners or speech, and is more widely used than 下賤, which carries a stronger nuance of low class or birth.
Compound of 下 (ge, 'low') and 賤 (sen, 'lowly, humble'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since classical Japanese to denote low social status or vulgarity.