noun
Historical term for a manual laborer or porter, especially in pre-modern Japan. The gloss 'coolie' can be offensive in modern English; prefer 'laborer' or 'porter'.
江戸時代には、人足が荷物を運んでいた。
In the Edo period, laborers carried goods.
Compound of 人 (person) and 足 (foot/leg), referring to a person who works on foot, i.e., a manual laborer or porter. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.