In government-regulated organizations at that time, the lowest rank of the ikai (court ranks) was Hachii (the rank of Shoi also existed below Hachii), and the definition of a noble of the time was a person ranked Jugoi (Junior Fifth Rank) or above whereas persons ranked between Juhachii (Junior Eighth Rank) and Shorokui (Senior Sixth Rank) were regarded as government officials (bureaucrats), who were not nobles in the strictest sense.
当時の官制においては、位階は八位まで（その下に初位というのも存在した）で、当時の貴族とは従五位以上を指し、従八位から正六位までは官人（官僚）であり、厳密には貴族ではなかった。