noun
landless low-status samurai or farmer
Historical term from the Edo period referring to a person of low social standing who did not possess land, whether a samurai or a farmer. Rare in modern usage outside historical contexts.
江戸時代には、無足人と呼ばれる土地を持たない下級武士がいた。
In the Edo period, there were low-ranking samurai called musokunin who did not own land.
無足人は、農民でありながら土地を持たない者も指した。
Musokunin also referred to farmers who did not possess land.
足軽 were low-ranking foot soldiers, usually with some stipend, whereas 無足人 were landless and often even lower in status.
From 無 (mu, 'without') + 足 (soku, 'foot' or 'sufficiency') + 人 (nin, 'person'). The term likely derives from the idea of lacking a sufficient landholding to support oneself, though the exact historical derivation is uncertain.