賞金稼ぎ
shōkin kasegi[ɕo̞ːkʲiŋ ka̠se̞ɡʲi]
The English phrase "bounty hunter" is translated into Japanese as 賞金稼ぎ (shōkin kasegi).
賞金稼ぎ refers to a person who catches criminals in return for a reward. It is a term commonly used in the context of fiction, such as anime, manga and video games, to describe a character pursuing a reward.
Meaning: person who catches criminals in return for a reward (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 賞金 (shōkin), meaning 'reward money' and 稼ぎ (kasegi), meaning 'earnings' or 'one who earns'.
How do you pronounce it?
shōkin kasegi
Did you know?
- Because Japan does not have a formal system of public bounty hunters, the phrase 賞金稼ぎ is often used as a trope to signal that a character is a loner or an outsider.
- In Japanese pop culture, 賞金稼ぎ are often associated with the 'Space Western' genre, heavily influenced by the Westerns of the 1960s.
- The verb inside 賞金稼ぎ, 稼ぐ, does not just mean 'to earn' but carries a connotation of 'working hard' or 'toiling'. This frames the bounty hunter as a laborer rather than just a mercenary.
Examples in context
- トムは常々、賞金稼ぎになりたいと夢見ていた。Tom always dreamed of becoming a bounty hunter.This sentence shows how to use 賞金稼ぎ when expressing a dream or ambition.Tatoeba #3658152 by arnab, translation #1040687 by CK
- 彼は賞金稼ぎとして活動している。Kare wa shōkin kasegi to shite katsudō shite iru.He is active as a bounty hunter.
- その映画には賞金稼ぎが登場する。Sono eiga ni wa shōkin kasegi ga tōjō suru.A bounty hunter appears in that movie.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they just watched.
- 結衣 Yuiあの映画の主人公は賞金稼ぎだったね。Ano eiga no shujinkō wa shōkin kasegi datta ne.The protagonist of that movie was a bounty hunter, wasn't he?
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね、すごくかっこよかったよ。Sō da ne, sugoku kakko yokatta yo.That's right, he was really cool.
- 結衣 Yui陽太も賞金稼ぎの役をやってみたい？Yōta mo shōkin kasegi no yaku o yatte mitai?Would you like to play the role of a bounty hunter too, Yota?
- 陽太 Yotaいや、僕は普通の役がいいよ。Iya, boku wa futsū no yaku ga ii yo.No, I would prefer a normal role.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bounty hunter” translations and entries 賞金稼ぎ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
