Countries and cultures - Cultures and customs - Samurai - Japanese history - Japan
What did the word “samurai” originally mean?
Correct!
The word samurai goes back to the old Japanese verb saburau (侍う). In sense it means “to serve” or “to serve someone”. Samurai were originally armed retainers who provided military service to members of the Japanese nobility. Over the course of Japanese history, the samurai developed into a powerful warrior class. From the late 12th century, governments led by samurai dominated Japan’s political order for several centuries. Today the samurai belong to the past, but their armor, swords and the associated idea of bushido have become international symbols of historic Japan.
Samurai goes back to saburau and means, in sense, “one who serves”.
