臣しん籍せき

noun

status of a subject; subjecthood

Historical term referring to the legal status of being a subject of the emperor, as opposed to a member of the imperial family. Used in contexts such as 臣籍降下 (しんせきこうか, demotion from imperial to subject status).

• 戦せん後ご、皇こう族ぞくの一いち部ぶは臣しん籍せきに降こう下かした。

  After the war, some members of the imperial family were demoted to subject status.

• 臣しん籍せき降こう下かの制せい度どは、現げん在ざいの皇こう室しつ典てん範ぱんにも規き定ていされている。

  The system of demotion from imperial to subject status is also stipulated in the current Imperial House Law.