士 族(しぞく)

しぞく

noun

former samurai class (Meiji era)

1. former samurai class, gentry

A social class designation established in the early Meiji era for families of former samurai. After the abolition of the feudal class system, samurai families were officially reclassified as shizoku, a status that was maintained in family registers until 1947.

明治(めいじ)維新(いしん)で武士(ぶし)は士族(しぞく)となった。

With the Meiji Restoration, samurai became shizoku.

士族(しぞく)の反乱(はんらん)が各地(かくち)で起(お)きた。

Shizoku rebellions broke out across the country.

特権(とっけん)を失(うしな)った士族(しぞく)の多(おお)くは経済的(けいざいてき)に困窮(こんきゅう)し、新(あたら)しい職業(しょくぎょう)を探(さが)さなければならなかった。

Many shizoku who lost their privileges fell into economic hardship and had to find new occupations.

USAGE:
A historical term from the Meiji period (1868–1912). The Meiji government abolished the feudal class system and reclassified the population as 華族(かぞく) (peerage/former nobility), 士族(しぞく) (former samurai), and 平民(へいみん) (commoners).

The expression 士族(しぞく)の商法(しょうほう) (a samurai's way of doing business) is an idiom describing amateurish business practices by former samurai who had no experience with commerce.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

士族(しぞく)の反乱(はんらん): shizoku rebellion
士族(しぞく)の商法(しょうほう): amateurish business (idiom)
士族(しぞく)授産(じゅさん): relief programs for former samurai

general

Added 2026.2.22 14:25

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