knife grinder; sword sharpener; polisher
Historical occupation: a person who sharpens blades or polishes metal objects such as swords and mirrors. Rare term; modern equivalents are usually expressed with 研ぎ師 or 研磨職人.
See also: 研ぎ師
In the Edo period, knife grinders sharpened swords and polished mirrors.
Standard kanji spelling for this rare historical occupation.
Variant spelling omitting the okurigana ぎ; less common but attested.
Compound of 研ぎ (sharpening, polishing) + 物 (thing) + 師 (master, specialist). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term refers to a craftsman who sharpens or polishes objects.