swineherd; swine herding
Dated term for a person who herds or tends pigs, or the act of herding pigs. Not commonly used in modern Japanese; more often encountered in historical or literary contexts.
A swineherd boy appears in old tales.
Swine herding was once common in this region.
Compound of 豚 (buta, 'pig') and 飼い (kai, 'keeping, raising, herding'), from the verb 飼う (kau, 'to keep/raise animals'). The exact historical usage is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern for occupational nouns.