1.
hunter
A person who hunts wild animals, either professionally or as a livelihood. Often appears in folk tales and stories about rural mountain life.
猟師が山に入った。
The hunter went into the mountains.
祖父は若い頃、猟師をしていた。
My grandfather was a hunter when he was young.
昔話には、熊を退治する猟師がよく登場する。
Hunters who slay bears often appear in old folk tales.
Combines 猟 (hunting) and 師 (master/professional), indicating someone who hunts as a profession or calling. The word frequently appears in Japanese folk tales and stories about mountain village life.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 猟師の小屋: hunter's hut
- 猟師になる: become a hunter
- 猟師をする: work as a hunter
- 山の猟師: mountain hunter
CULTURAL NOTE:
In Japanese folk tales (昔話), the 猟師 is a common character type, often depicted as brave and knowledgeable about the mountains. In modern Japan, the number of hunters has declined significantly, and 猟師 now sometimes refers to people involved in 害獣駆除 (pest animal control) to manage wildlife like deer and boar that damage crops.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- ハンター: hunter — the English loanword, used more casually and in modern/sport hunting contexts
- 漁師: fisherman — a homophone with the same reading but written with 漁 (fishing) instead of 猟 (hunting)