noun
A somewhat dated or literary term for a kidnapper, especially one who abducts a person by luring or tricking them. In modern Japanese, 誘拐犯 (ゆうかいはん) is more common.
昔話には、かどわかしにさらわれる子供の話がよく出てくる。
In old tales, stories of children being abducted by kidnappers often appear.
「かどわかし」は今ではあまり使われ
'Kadowakashi' is a word that is not used much nowadays.
The standard modern term for 'kidnapper'. かどわかし is an older, more literary synonym that may carry a nuance of luring or tricking the victim.
Derived from the verb かどわかす (to kidnap), which itself comes from かど (gate, or possibly a prefix meaning 'to lure') + わかす (to make someone go away, or to separate). The exact derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since the Heian period.