1.
highway robber; highwayman; mugger
A person who robs travelers on the road, historically by stripping them of their clothing and belongings. In modern usage, can refer more generally to mugging or robbery.
昔はこの街道に追いはぎが出た。
In the old days, highway robbers appeared on this road.
追いはぎに遭って身ぐるみ剥がされた。
I was robbed by a mugger and stripped of everything.
この料金は追いはぎのようなものだと文句を言った。
He complained that the charge was highway robbery.
From 追い剥ぎ — literally "chasing and stripping." Originally referred to bandits on roads who would waylay travelers and strip them of their clothing and possessions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 追いはぎに遭う: to be robbed by a mugger
- 追いはぎが出る: highway robbers appear
- 追いはぎのような: like highway robbery (figurative)
FIGURATIVE USE:
In modern Japanese, often used figuratively to describe exorbitant prices or charges, similar to the English expression "highway robbery." For example, 追いはぎのような値段 (highway-robbery prices).
HISTORICAL NOTE:
During the Edo period, 追いはぎ were a real danger on the roads between cities. They feature prominently in historical fiction and period dramas (時代劇).