noun
Refers to a person who requests a service, especially in legal, business, or professional contexts.
弁護士は依頼人のために最善を尽くす。
The lawyer does their best for the client.
依頼人の要望を聞いてから見積もりを出す。
I'll provide an estimate after hearing the client's request.
クライアント is a loanword used broadly in business and IT, whereas 依頼人 is more formal and often used in legal or professional service contexts.
Compound of 依頼 (irai, 'request') and 人 (nin, 'person').