非ひ人にん

noun

Edo-period outcaste group

Historical term for the lowest social stratum in the Edo period, including ex-convicts, vagrants, and certain performers. Not used in modern social classification.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、非ひ人にんは士し農のう工こう商しょうの下したに置おかれた身み分ぶんとされる。

  In the Edo period, hinin were considered a status below the samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

noun

non-human (Buddhism)

Buddhist term contrasting human existence with other realms such as animals, hungry ghosts, or hell beings. Rare in everyday language.

• 仏ぶっ教きょうでは、非ひ人にんとは人にん間げん以い外がいの衆しゅ生じょうを指さすことがある。

  In Buddhism, hinin can refer to sentient beings other than humans.