家か臣しん

か

し

ん

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

A historical term for a samurai who served a feudal lord (daimyō). Often used in contexts of loyalty and military service.

彼かれの先せん祖ぞは徳とく川がわ家けの家か臣しんだった。
His ancestor was a retainer of the Tokugawa family.
家か臣しんたちは主しゅ君くんに忠ちゅう誠せいを誓ちかった。
The vassals pledged loyalty to their lord.

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Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の家か臣しんになるto become someone's vassal
彼かれは織お田だ信のぶ長ながの家か臣しんになった。
He became a vassal of Oda Nobunaga.
家か臣しんを召めし抱かかえるto take someone into service as a retainer
大だい名みょうは多おおくの家か臣しんを召めし抱かかえていた。
The daimyo employed many retainers.
家か臣しんが主しゅ君くんに忠ちゅう誠せいを尽つくすfor a retainer to devote loyalty to his lord
家か臣しんたちは主しゅ君くんに忠ちゅう誠せいを尽つくした。
The retainers pledged their loyalty to their lord.

Kanji

家house, home, family
臣retainer, subject

Related words· 6

家け来らいN1
家来 is a broader term for any retainer or servant, while 家臣 refers specifically to a samurai serving a feudal lord.
臣しん下か
臣下 is a more formal, less common term for a vassal or subject, whereas 家臣 emphasizes loyalty to a specific house or lord.
従じゅう者しゃ
従者 refers to an attendant or follower who accompanies someone, while 家臣 specifically denotes a sworn retainer bound by feudal duty.
家うち中じゅう
家臣 is the standard historical term for a daimyo's retainer, while 家中 (read かちゅう) is an older, more collective word for the same group or clan.

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忠ちゅう臣しん
家臣 is a general term for any vassal or retainer, while 忠臣 specifically highlights the vassal's loyalty and devotion to their lord.
臣おみ
家臣 is the standard historical term for a vassal serving a lord, while 臣 is an older, more archaic word for the same role.

Opposites

主しゅ君くん
主君 is the lord a 家臣 serves, making the two words opposite ends of the feudal relationship.

Don't confuse with

臣やつこ
家臣 is a compound noun meaning a feudal vassal or retainer, while 臣 alone is the older, plainer word for a servant, slave, or lowly person.
家か人じん
家人 (かじん, household member) and 家臣 (かしん, a feudal retainer/vassal) sound alike and both involve 家, but they refer to completely different relationships.
大だい臣じんN3
家臣 means a feudal retainer or vassal serving a lord, sharing the kanji 臣 with 大臣 but referring to a historical role, not a modern cabinet post.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
名めいN2
More formal than 人 — used for headcounts in reservations, staff lists, and announcements (5名様).

Etymology

Compound of 家 (house, family) and 臣 (retainer, subject). The term originated in feudal Japan to denote a samurai who served a specific lord or household.