also: しゃしゅ
Only with reading いて
Refers to a person who shoots with a bow, typically in historical, fantasy, or sports contexts.
He is a skilled archer.
Only with reading しゃしゅ
Rare reading しゃしゅ used for a person who shoots a firearm; not commonly used in modern Japanese.
When 射手 is read as しゃしゅ, it can refer to a person who shoots a gun.
射手 means an archer/shooter, while 射手座 (with 座 added) is the constellation and zodiac sign Sagittarius.
counter for people
Standard kanji spelling for the common reading いて, meaning archer or bowman.
Rare reading used specifically for a shooter or gunner, distinct from the archer sense.
Compound of 射 (shoot) and 手 (person). The reading いて is a native Japanese reading, while しゃしゅ is a Sino-Japanese reading.