How to say "servant" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 召し使いめしつかいnounA servant in personal attendance on a master, especially within a household — the maid or butler of a large house. The natural choice for domestic service in a master-servant relationship.
- 奴隷どれいno-adjectiveReally 'slave': a person owned by another or held in bondage, without freedom. It fits 'servant' only when the person is literally enslaved, not for a servant who is simply employed.
- 従者じゅうしゃnounAn attendant who accompanies and serves a particular person — a follower in someone's retinue. Suits a knight's attendant, a lord's traveling servant, or any personal servant who goes where the master goes.
- 使用人しようにんnounA servant as a hired worker: the word also means employee generally, so it fits the staff of a household or business. Natural when speaking of servants as part of the staff.
- 下回りしたまわりnounRefers to menial service or subordinate work, and by extension to the underlings who do it. A marginal way to say 'servant' at best: the emphasis falls on lowly duties rather than the person.
Use 「召し使い」 for a household servant, 従者 for an attendant in someone's retinue, 使用人 for servants as hired staff, 奴隷 only for actual slaves, and 「下回り」 for menial service or underlings.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 召使めしつかいservant
- 奴隷どれいslave
- 従者じゅうしゃattendant
- 使用人しようにんemployee
- 下回りしたまわりsubordinate work
- しもべservant
- 奴やっこservant (esp. a samurai's attendant)
- 家人けにんretainer
- サーバントservant
- 下郎げろうservant
- 舎人しゃじんservant
- 使丁していservant
- 奉公人ほうこうにんservant
- 奉仕者ほうししゃservant (of the people)
- 臣下しんかretainer
- 下働きしたばたらきdomestic duties
- 臣やつこretainer
- 小者こものservant
- 使令しれいservant
See also
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