Refers to a person who travels from place to place without a fixed home, often with a romantic or literary nuance. Can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context.
In his youth, he wandered all over Japan as a vagabond.
That wanderer has come to town again.
Derogatory term for someone who is not from the local area and is viewed with suspicion or disdain. Emphasizes the person's lack of belonging.
The villagers treated the outsider as a stranger.
A wanderer or vagabond with a more whimsical, carefree image; less likely to be used derogatorily than 旅烏.
Standard kanji spelling using 烏 (crow).
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; common in everyday writing.
Variant using 鴉 (crow); less common than 烏.
Compound of 旅 (tabi, 'journey') and 烏 (karasu, 'crow'), with rendaku voicing. The crow, often seen flying from place to place, serves as a metaphor for a wandering person. The exact historical origin is uncertain.