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入れ墨者 (いれずみもの) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

入いれ墨ずみ者もの

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Meanings

1

tattooed criminal (Edo period)

Historical term for a person who received a punitive tattoo during the Edo period, marking them as a convicted criminal.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、入いれ墨ずみ者ものは前ぜん科か者しゃとして一いち

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In the Edo period, tattooed criminals were made easily recognizable as ex-convicts.

Kanji

入enter, insert
墨black ink, India ink, ink stick
者someone, person

Related words

入いれ墨ずみ
Refers to the tattoo itself, not the person. 入れ墨者 specifically denotes a person who has been tattooed as punishment.

Written forms

入いれ墨ずみ者もの
Standard spelling using 入れ墨 for 'tattoo' and 者 for 'person'.
入いれ墨ずみ者もの
Variant spelling with 入墨, less common but still used.

Etymology

Compound of 入れ墨 (tattoo) + 者 (person). The term is historically tied to the Edo-period practice of tattooing criminals as a form of punishment and identification.