Colloquial term for a yakuza member or someone connected to organized crime. Often carries a rough or streetwise nuance.
See also: やくざ
That yakuza guy controls this area as his turf.
筋者同士の抗争が激しくなっているらしい。
It seems the conflict between gangsters is intensifying.
Standard kanji spelling for this colloquial term.
Compound of 筋 (すじ, 'lineage' or 'connection') and 者 (もの, 'person'), literally 'person of a certain line/connection', referring to someone involved in organized crime. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.