privately owned slave
Archaic term for a privately owned slave in historical Japanese contexts. Often contrasted with 公奴婢 (くぬひ, publicly owned slave). See also 五色の賤.
See also: 五色の賤
Under the Ritsuryō system, privately owned slaves could be bought and sold.
五色の賤 is a broader historical classification of low-status groups, which includes 私奴婢 as one category.
From 私 (private) + 奴婢 (slave/servant). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term appears in ancient legal codes.