連れん続ぞく殺さつ人じん鬼き

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Meanings

noun

serial killer

A person who commits a series of murders, often with a psychological pattern. The term is used in news, crime reporting, and fiction.

警けい察さつは連れん続ぞく殺さつ人じん鬼きを逮たい捕ほした。
The police arrested the serial killer.
その小しょう説せつの主しゅ人じん公こうは連れん続ぞく殺さつ人じん鬼きを追おう刑けい事じだ。
The protagonist of that novel is a detective chasing a serial killer.

Kanji

連take along, lead, join
続continue, series, sequel
殺kill, murder, butcher
人person
鬼ghost, devil

Related words

殺さつ人じん鬼き
殺人鬼 is a more general term for a murderer or homicidal maniac, while 連続殺人鬼 specifically refers to a serial killer who commits multiple murders over time.
シリアルキラー
シリアルキラー is a direct loanword from English and is also common, especially in informal or media contexts. 連続殺人鬼 is the native Japanese compound with the same meaning.

Built from

連れん続ぞく+殺さつ人じん鬼き

Etymology

Compound of 連続 (renzoku, 'continuous, serial') + 殺人 (satsujin, 'murder') + 鬼 (ki, 'demon, ogre'), literally 'serial murder demon'. The term follows a common pattern for labeling criminals with a monstrous or demonic nature.