Translation guide
A person who sells goods, often traveling or on the street. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 行商人, but other terms exist depending on the type of goods and historical context.
A person who travels around selling goods, often on foot or from a stall.
The standard term for a traveling merchant or peddler. Neutral and widely understood.
A person who sells illegal drugs, often on the street.
The English word 'peddler' can sound old-fashioned or literary. In modern Japanese, 行商人 is the closest equivalent but may also sound historical. For contemporary street vendors, 露天商 or 物売り are more natural.
昔、行商人が村にやって来た。
In the old days, peddlers came to the village.
A general term for a person who sells things, often on the street. Can sound a bit old-fashioned.
物売りの声が聞こえる。
I can hear the voice of a street vendor.
A street stall vendor, often in a fixed location like a market. More specific than peddler but commonly used.
露天商が果物を売っている。
A street vendor is selling fruit.
A stallholder at festivals or fairs, often selling cheap goods or food. Has a slightly shady connotation.
祭りで的屋が金魚すくいを出している。
At the festival, a stallholder is running a goldfish scooping game.
Common slang for a drug dealer. Literally 'seller'.
警察が売人を逮捕した。
The police arrested the drug dealer.
Explicitly 'drug peddler'. More formal or descriptive.
彼は麻薬の売人として知られている。
He is known as a drug peddler.