In the Edo period, a chūgen took care of a samurai's personal needs.
In period dramas, a footman walks behind the lord carrying a spear.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
Alternate kanji form; less common and may be confused with 仲間 (なかま, 'companion').
The term 中間 (ちゅうげん) originally referred to a person of intermediate rank between a samurai and a common servant. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the kanji 中 (middle) and 間 (between) reflect this intermediate status.