solitary life in a humble dwelling; wretched abode
Evokes a quiet, lonely life in a simple, often shabby dwelling, with a nuance of wabi aesthetic. Often used in literary or reflective contexts.
He continues his solitary life in a humble dwelling deep in the mountains.
I've gotten used to this wretched abode.
侘しい is an adjective meaning lonely or miserable, while 侘住い is a noun referring to the lifestyle or dwelling itself.
侘び is the aesthetic concept of wabi, emphasizing simplicity and quietness; 侘住い applies that concept to one's living situation.
Standard kanji form; 侘 carries the aesthetic sense of wabi.
Variant kanji form using 佗 instead of 侘; less common.
Variant kanji form using 居 instead of い; rare.
Compound of 侘び (wabi, 'wabi aesthetic; quiet simplicity') and 住まい (sumai, 'dwelling; living'), with rendaku voicing of すまい to ずまい.