live decoy (hunting)
Specifically a live animal used to lure game in hunting contexts.
猟師はおとりの鴨を使って野生の鴨をおびき寄せた。
The hunter used a live decoy duck to lure wild ducks.
The police used him as bait to lure out the culprit.
The police used a decoy to lure out the criminal.
詐欺グループはおとりとして偽の投資話を持ちかけた。
The fraud ring used a fake investment story as bait.
The police carried out a sting operation and arrested the drug dealer.
The hunter used the bird as a decoy to draw its companions in.
餌 is food used to attract an animal, whereas 囮 can be a live animal, object, or even a person used to lure a target.
罠 is the physical trap or snare itself, while 囮 is the living bait or decoy used to lure the prey into it.
Usually written in kana; the kanji 囮 is also used but less common.
Kanji form; recognized but less frequent than kana.
Rare kanji form, literally 'decoy bird'.
Derived from the verb おとる (to lure, to decoy). The kanji 囮 is a kokuji (Japanese-made character) combining 口 (mouth) and 化 (change, transform), suggesting something that transforms or deceives through the mouth (call).