Rare, literary term for a man who commits adultery or is the lover of a married woman. Strongly negative and old-fashioned; modern Japanese would more commonly use 不倫相手 or 間男.
In classical literature, the adulterer often meets a tragic end.
adulterer and adulteress; adulterous couple
Kanji spelling; rare and literary. The character 姦 carries a strong negative connotation of adultery or wickedness.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; also rare. The kana かん softens the visual impact of 姦.
Compound of 姦 (adultery, wickedness) and 夫 (man, husband). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a classical Chinese pattern for labeling a male wrongdoer in a sexual context.