苗みょう字じ帯たい刀とう

みょ

う

じ

た

い

と

う

Meanings

1

noun

right to bear a surname and wear a sword

historical termyojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Historical term from the Edo period, referring to the privilege granted to certain commoners (e.g., wealthy merchants, village headmen) to use a family name and carry a sword, which were normally samurai prerogatives.

江え戸ど時じ代だい、苗

みょう

字じ

帯たい

刀とう

を

許ゆる

さ

れる

こと

は

大たい

変へん

な

名めい

誉よ

だっ

た

。

During the Edo period, being granted the right to bear a surname and wear a sword was a great honor.

庄しょう屋やの中なかには苗みょう字じ帯たい刀とうを許ゆるされた者ものもいた。

Some village headmen were allowed the right to bear a surname and wear a sword.

Kanji

苗seedling, sapling, shoot
字character, letter, word
帯sash, belt, obi
刀sword, saber, knife
名name, noted, distinguished

Related words

苗みょう字じ
苗字 means 'surname' or 'family name'; 苗字帯刀 is the compound privilege of having a surname and wearing a sword.
帯たい刀とう
帯刀 means 'wearing a sword'; in 苗字帯刀 it refers specifically to the right to carry a sword as a mark of status.

Built from

名みょう字じ+帯たい刀とう

Written forms

苗みょう字じ帯たい刀とう
Standard kanji form for this historical term.
名みょう字じ帯たい刀とう
Variant using 名字 instead of 苗字; both are used for 'surname'.

Etymology

Compound of 苗字 (myōji, 'surname') and 帯刀 (taitō, 'wearing a sword'). The term originated in the Edo period when these privileges were strictly regulated by the shogunate.