hitman; professional killer; contract killer
Refers to a person whose profession is killing people for money. Often used in crime fiction and news reports.
The police are tracking the hitman's whereabouts.
彼は映画の中で冷酷な殺し屋を演じた。
He played a ruthless hitman in the movie.
Compound of 殺し (koroshi, 'killing', the continuative form of 殺す korosu 'to kill') and 屋 (ya, 'shop' or 'person who does something as a trade'). Literally 'killing shop/person', it follows the pattern of occupational terms like パン屋 (baker) or 本屋 (bookseller).