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貧素 (ひんそ, hinso) Japanese meaning: extreme poverty | Kotomora

貧ひん素そ

Meanings

1

extreme poverty

archaic

Archaic noun for severe poverty; not used in modern everyday speech. May appear in historical texts or literary contexts.

古こ文ぶん書しょには「貧ひん素その暮くらし」という表ひょう現げんが見みられる。
In old documents, the expression 'life of extreme poverty' can be found.

Kanji

貧poverty, poor
素elementary, principle, naked

Related words

貧ひん困こん
Modern standard word for poverty; 貧素 is an archaic synonym.
貧びん乏ぼう
Common colloquial term for poverty; 貧素 is more formal and archaic.

Etymology

Compound of 貧 (poverty) and 素 (element, plain). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of extreme poverty.