noun
Only with reading ふうてん
Sensitive, dated term for mental illness or a mentally ill person. Modern usage is rare and may be considered offensive; 精神疾患 or 精神病 is preferred in clinical contexts.
昔の小説には「瘋癲」という言葉がよく出てくる。
The word 瘋癲 often appears in old novels.
noun
Often used in the phrase フーテンの寅さん, referring to the wandering protagonist of the film series. Carries a nuance of a carefree, aimless drifter.
彼はフーテンのように日本中を旅している。
He travels all over Japan like a vagabond.
Katakana spelling, often associated with the vagabond sense (e.g., フーテンの寅さん).
Common hiragana spelling for both senses.
The kanji 瘋癲 literally mean 'wind illness' and 'crazy', reflecting traditional Chinese medical concepts. The reading ふうてん is the on'yomi. The vagabond sense likely developed from the idea of a 'crazy' or eccentric wanderer.