noun
Primarily refers to an illegal seller of drugs; can also mean a smuggler or trader in illicit goods. The term is strongly associated with the drug trade.
警察はその売人を逮捕した。
The police arrested the drug dealer.
彼は麻薬の売人として知られている。
He is known as a drug pusher.
Compound of 売 (bai, 'selling') and 人 (nin, 'person'). The reading ばいにん follows the on'yomi pattern. The term likely emerged as underworld slang for a seller of illegal goods, later narrowing to primarily mean a drug dealer.