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.
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.