also: よたもん
hooligan; layabout; good-for-nothing; gangster
Colloquial, somewhat dated term for a young troublemaker, loafer, or petty criminal. Often used with a derogatory or dismissive tone.
Be careful around there; hooligans hang out in that area.
Apparently he was a good-for-nothing in his youth.
不良 is a more standard, less slangy term for a delinquent or troublemaker, often used for school-age youth.
チンピラ specifically refers to a low-level yakuza or punk, while 与太者 is broader and can include non-organized loafers.
Standard kanji spelling; also read よたもん.
Old character form; search-only.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but seen.
Alternate reading; often written in kana.
The origin is uncertain. 与太 may be related to 与太る (yotaru, 'to idle') or 与太 (yota, 'nonsense'), but the exact derivation is unclear. The word has been used since the Edo period to refer to idlers and petty criminals.