Rōnin

A rōnin (浪人) was a samurai with no lord or master during the feudal period (1185–1868) of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege.

In modern Japanese usage, the term also describes a salaryman who is "between employers" or a secondary school graduate who has not yet been admitted to university.

Etymology

The word rōnin literally means "wave man". It is an idiomatic expression for "vagrant" or "wandering man", someone who is without a home. The term originated in the Nara and Heian periods, when it referred to a serf who had fled or deserted his master's land. It then came to be used for a samurai who had no master. (Hence, the term "wave man" illustrating one who is socially adrift.)

The word "浪人" means a "drifter" or a "wanderer", i.e. "he who drifts/wanders".

Status

According to the Bushido Shoshinshu (the Code of the Samurai), a samurai was supposed to commit seppuku (also "hara kiri" — ritual suicide) upon the loss of his master. One who chose not to honor the code was "on his own" and was meant to suffer great shame. The undesirability of rōnin status was mainly a discrimination imposed by other samurai and by daimyo, the feudal lords.

Ronin (disambiguation)

A rōnin is a samurai without a master.

Ronin may also refer to:

In entertainment

Companies

Ronin, Poland

Ronin [ˈrɔnin] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Frombork, within Braniewo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately 2 kilometres (1 mi) south of Frombork, 12 km (7 mi) south-west of Braniewo, and 82 km (51 mi) north-west of the regional capital Olsztyn.

While traditionally Prussian, with the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466 the area became part of the Kingdom of Poland until 1772; 1772-1945 Kingdom of Prussia and Germany (East Prussia).

The village has a population of 70.

References

Coordinates: 54°20′6″N 19°41′5″E / 54.33500°N 19.68472°E / 54.33500; 19.68472