untrained conscript; young man of draft age
Archaic term from the ritsuryō period for a young man eligible for military conscription but not yet trained.
Under the ritsuryō system, 白丁 referred to a young man of conscription age who had not yet undergone military training.
commoner; person without rank or title
Archaic term for a person with no official rank or title under the ritsuryō system; essentially a commoner.
白丁 meant an ordinary commoner without any court rank.
white-uniformed servant; attendant carrying master's belongings
Only when written 白張 · Only with reading はくちょう
Archaic term for a servant dressed in a white uniform who carried objects for his master; reading restricted to はくちょう.
See also: 白丁
A 白張 was a white-uniformed attendant who carried his master's belongings.
Primary kanji form; also read はくてい in some contexts.
Variant kanji form used specifically for the servant sense.
The term originates from the ritsuryō legal system of ancient Japan. 白 (white) may refer to the plain, unranked status of the person, while 丁 (adult male) indicates a man of working age. The exact derivation is uncertain.