noun
daredevil warrior; rowdy samurai
Historical term for a rough, reckless, or battle-hardened warrior, often with a connotation of wild bravery. Used in contexts of feudal Japan.
戦国時代には多くの荒武者が名を馳せた。
Many daredevil warriors made a name for themselves during the Warring States period.
彼は荒武者のような振る舞いで敵陣に突っ込んだ。
He charged into the enemy camp like a rowdy warrior.
猛者 means a brave or fierce warrior, but 荒武者 adds a nuance of wildness or recklessness.
Compound of 荒 (rough, wild) and 武者 (warrior). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged in the context of describing particularly fierce or unruly samurai.