96080
Are there general rules for forming nouns that refer to the one performing the
action of a verb, such as cut -> cutter, run -> runner, "Jack the Ripper",
etc.? I have been searching online but have only found guidance on forming
gerunds, possibly because I don't know the grammar terminology to ask the
right question.
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2022-09-02T13:11:49.870
96076
2022-09-02T13:54:32.433
54388
question
conjugations nouns
How are actor nouns formed from verbs
There is no regular way of doing this. While the suffixes ～人｛びと｝, ～者｛もの｝
(generally used with kun'yomi), and ～者｛しゃ｝ (generally used with on'yomi) are
common, often you simply need to use a relative clause.

裏切り｛うらぎり｝者｛もの｝ - traitor (from 裏切る｛うらぎる｝, 'betray')

旅人｛たびびと｝ - traveller (though this actually uses a noun)

目撃者｛もくげきしゃ｝ - witness (somebody who witnesses something, and again 目撃 is
actually a noun)

切｛き｝る人｛ひと｝ - cutter, 'person that cuts' literally

Even the first example technically uses a noun form of the verb, too.
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2022-09-02T13:26:01.097
96078
2022-09-02T13:26:01.097
9971
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answer
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and you have to be familiar with many
patterns. To add to what Angelos have already mentioned, one important pattern
is [masu-stem as a
noun](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/32299/conjunctive-form-
e-g-%E6%9B%B8%E3%81%8D-vs-conj-mono-
e-g-%E6%9B%B8%E3%81%8D%E7%89%A9/32311#32311).

  * のぞく to peek / のぞき peeper
  * 魔法を使う to use magic / 魔法使い magic user → wizard
  * 相撲を取る to play sumō / 相撲取り sumō wrestler
  * 羊を飼う to raise sheep / 羊飼い sheep raiser → shepherd

"Jack the Ripper" is 切り裂きジャック in Japanese, and 切り裂き is the masu-stem of the
verb 切り裂く ("to rip/tear").
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2022-09-02T13:54:32.433
96080
2022-09-02T13:54:32.433
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answer