Historical term for a rotating savings and credit association, often seen in the compound 頼母子講 (たのもしこう). Rare in modern usage.
See also: 頼母子講
In the Edo period, mutual financing associations were widely used as a means of finance among commoners.
頼母子講 is the full compound meaning 'mutual financing association'; 頼母子 is the abbreviated form.
mutual financing association
Standard kanji spelling for this historical mutual financing term.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common.
The derivation is uncertain. The kanji 頼 (rely), 母 (mother), 子 (child) are conventionally associated with the meaning, but the exact origin is unclear.