noun
Refers to a person who travels from place to place without a fixed home, often with a romantic or literary nuance. Can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context.
彼は若い頃、旅烏として日本中を歩き回った。
In his youth, he wandered all over Japan as a vagabond.
あの旅烏はまた町にやって
That wanderer has come to town again.
noun
Derogatory term for someone who is not from the local area and is viewed with suspicion or disdain. Emphasizes the person's lack of belonging.
村の人たちは旅烏をよそ者扱いした。
The villagers treated the outsider as a stranger.
Compound of 旅 (tabi, 'journey') and 烏 (karasu, 'crow'), with rendaku voicing. The crow, often seen flying from place to place, serves as a metaphor for a wandering person. The exact historical origin is uncertain.