also: ひろき
lesser (of equal court ranks); lower; junior
Archaic prefix used in the historical Japanese court rank system to indicate a lower or junior grade within the same rank level. Compare with 大い (おおい) for the senior counterpart. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical contexts.
See also: 大い
Junior Third Rank is a court rank below Senior Third Rank.
In old documents, notations like 'Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade' can be seen.
The prefix 従 (ひろい/ひろき) is an archaic element from the historical Japanese court rank system, contrasting with 大い (おおい). Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with the meaning 'lesser' or 'junior' in this context.