child actor in noh; child's role in noh dance
Specialized term in noh theater for a child performer or the role they play. Not used outside this context.
Rare historical term for a subordinate or follower, often contrasted with 親方 (master, boss). Not used in modern Japanese outside historical or period contexts.
See also: 親方
In noh, the roles played by child actors are often special beings such as gods or spirits of noble persons.
In Edo-period artisan groups, apprentices (子方) learned skills under a master (親方).
Compound of 子 (child, small) and 方 (person, side). The noh sense is a direct extension of 'child person'. The henchman sense likely developed from the idea of a junior or subordinate person in a hierarchical group.