samurai lineage; person of samurai descent
Refers to a family or individual with samurai ancestry, often used in historical or genealogical contexts.
彼は士族の家系に生まれた。
He was born into a family of samurai lineage.
shizoku; former samurai class (1869–1947)
Historical term for the second of three official classes in Meiji-era Japan, comprising former samurai. The class system was abolished in 1947.
See also: 族称
In the Meiji period, the shizoku were a class below the kazoku (peerage) and above the commoners.
士族 is a Meiji-era administrative class label for former samurai families, while 豪族 refers to regionally powerful clans of much earlier historical periods.
discontented former samurai (early Meiji period)
rebellions by former samurai (Meiji period)
From 士 (warrior, samurai) + 族 (family, clan, class). Coined in the Meiji era to designate the former samurai class within the new legal hierarchy.