1.
servant, domestic worker
A person employed to do household work or attend to the needs of a master or household. In modern usage, primarily appears in historical, literary, or fantasy contexts.
王は召使いを呼んだ。
The king called a servant.
屋敷には何人もの召使いがいた。
There were many servants in the mansion.
昔の貴族は大勢の召使いに囲まれて暮らしていた。
Nobles of old lived surrounded by many servants.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 召使いを雇う (hire a servant)
- 召使いを呼ぶ (call a servant)
- 忠実な召使い (a loyal servant)
Derived from 召し使う (to employ, to summon and use). In contemporary Japanese, this word is mostly found in historical dramas, period novels, fairy tales, and fantasy settings. For modern domestic workers, 家事ヘルパー or 家政婦 are used instead.