A somewhat literary or dramatic term for a violent criminal, ruffian, or assassin. Often used in news reports or fiction to describe a dangerous perpetrator.
凶漢が深夜の街を徘徊していた。
A villain was prowling the streets late at night.
警察は凶漢の行方を追っている。
The police are tracking the outlaw's whereabouts.
殺し屋 specifically means a hitman or professional killer, whereas 凶漢 can refer to any violent criminal, including an assassin, but is not limited to hired killers.
Standard modern spelling using the simplified kanji 凶.
Older form using the traditional kanji 兇; still encountered in historical or literary contexts.
Compound of 凶 (bad, evil) and 漢 (man, fellow). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period to denote a violent or wicked man.