系けい図ず買かい

noun

pedigree buying

Only when written 系図買い

Historical practice of purchasing a fabricated or prestigious family lineage; often associated with the Edo period when commoners sought samurai status.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいには、裕ゆう福ふくな町ちょう人にんが系けい図ず買かいをして武ぶ士しの身み分ぶんを得えることがあった。

  In the Edo period, wealthy townspeople sometimes bought pedigrees to obtain samurai status.

noun

fencing stolen goods; fence

The act of buying and reselling stolen property; also refers to the person who does this. Cross-referenced with 故買 (こばい).

See also: 故買 (こばい)

• 警けい察さつは系けい図ず買かいの疑うたがいで男おとこを逮たい捕ほした。

  The police arrested the man on suspicion of fencing stolen goods.