庸よう

noun

tax paid to avoid forced labor (ritsuryō period); tax in kind

Historical term from the ritsuryō system. Refers to a tax paid in goods or money to substitute for compulsory labor service.

See also: 力役

• 律りつ令りょう制せいでは、庸ようは布ぬのや米こめなどで納おさめられた。

  Under the ritsuryō system, the yō tax was paid in cloth, rice, or other goods.

noun

mediocrity

Only with reading よう

Obsolete meaning. In modern Japanese, mediocrity is usually expressed with 凡庸 or 平凡.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、「庸よう」が凡ぼん庸ようの意い味みで使つかわれることがある。

  In old texts, 庸 can be used to mean mediocrity.