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.
A villain was prowling the streets late at night.
The police are tracking the outlaw's whereabouts.
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.