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.
non-human (Buddhism)
Buddhist term contrasting human existence with other realms such as animals, hungry ghosts, or hell beings. Rare in everyday language.
In the Edo period, hinin were considered a status below the samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants.
In Buddhism, hinin can refer to sentient beings other than humans.
heartless; inhuman; unfeeling
Standard kanji spelling for both the historical caste term and the Buddhist concept.
A Sino-Japanese Buddhist term from Chinese 非人, “nonhuman,” used for beings other than humans. It later became a status designation for marginalized groups in medieval and early modern Japan.