na-adjective, noun
Archaic literary term for a person who is cunning, treacherous, and morally twisted. Rarely used in modern Japanese; encountered mainly in classical texts.
古典では、佞姦な家臣が主君を裏切る場面が描かれる。
In classical literature, scenes depict a treacherous retainer betraying his lord.
Compound of 佞 (flattery, insincerity) and 姦 (wickedness, treachery). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the word is a classical Chinese-derived term.