noun
southern barbarian; Western European (historical)
Historical term used from the Muromachi to Edo period, originally referring to Spanish and Portuguese traders and missionaries. The literal meaning is 'southern barbarian', reflecting a Sinocentric worldview.
南蛮人が鉄砲を日本に伝えた。
The southern barbarians introduced firearms to Japan.
南蛮 is a broader term referring to the southern barbarians or their culture, while 南蛮人 specifically means a person from those regions.
From 南蛮 (southern barbarian) + 人 (person). 南蛮 is a historical Chinese term for southern non-Chinese peoples, later applied to Southeast Asians and then to Europeans arriving from the south.