Claw mark - Tsumein

Japanese: 爪印 - つめいん

〘Noun〙① The practice of putting ink on the tip of a finger instead of a kao (signature) or a seal. Also, the seal. A nail stamp. Claw-shaped. This was usually seen on children, women, or people without writing skills, but it was also done when people did not have a seal. [Kinryo Ko - Goshu, Volume 4, Volume 31 (Edo Chugo?)] ② A stamp used when a suspect stamped a written document in a criminal trial in the Edo period. Suspects accused of serious crimes were imprisoned during interrogation, and since they usually did not have a seal, this method was used. However, this was limited to commoners, and samurai were made to write a written seal . A nail stamp. [Ichiyun Secret Records - Volume 1, Matters of the Inquisitionist's Office (1798) (Kojiruien, Law 58)]

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① 花押(かおう)または印章の代わりに指先に印肉をつけておすこと。また、その印。爪判。爪形。普通、幼年者、女子もしくは無筆者にみられたが、印判を持ちあわせていないため行なわれた場合もある。〔禁令考‐後集・第四・巻三一（江戸中後か）〕② 江戸時代の刑事裁判で、被疑者が口書(くちがき)に捺印する場合に用いられた印。重罪にあたる被疑者は吟味中入牢させられ、普通、印を所持していないため、この方法がとられた。ただしこれは庶民に限られ、武士には書判(かきはん)を書かせた。爪判。〔市尹秘録‐一・吟味方勤方之事（1798）（古事類苑・法律五八）〕

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