A person hired or sent to kill someone; an assassin.
暗殺計画を実行する刺客が町に潜んでいた。
An assassin sent to carry out the assassination plot was hiding in town.
彼は王を狙った刺客に襲われたが、一命を取り留めた。
He was attacked by an assassin who targeted the king, but survived.
昔の小説には刺客の暗躍がよく描かれる。
Old novels often depict assassins working secretly.
A candidate fielded by a party to unseat an incumbent of the same party (often abbreviated as 'shikaku' in politics).
党は人気のある現職に対抗するため、刺客を立てた。
The party put forward a 'shikaku' candidate to challenge the popular incumbent.
刺客候補の出馬で選挙戦が一気に激しくなった。
With the entry of a 'shikaku' candidate, the election suddenly became heated.