Class for aristocrats in Japanese (7)

I believe the answer is:

samurai

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'class' is the definition.
(samurai is a kind of class)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for samurai that I've seen before include "Jap. warrior caste" , "Military figures" , "Former Japanese military caste member" , "military man" , "Japanese fighter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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