Ronin

A rōnin (^?) was a samurai without 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.

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".

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 daimyōs, the feudal lords.

Like other samurai, rōnin wore their two swords. Rōnin used a variety of other weapons as well. Some rōnin — usually those who lacked money — would carry a bō (staff around 1.5m to 1.8m - 5 to 6 ft) or jō (smaller staff or walking stick around 0.9m to 1.5m - 3 to 5 ft) or a yumi (bow). Most weapons would reflect the ryū or martial arts school they came from, if they were students.

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