鬼
ghost · devil
Details
Description
Demon/Ogre - supernatural beings in Japanese folklore, can represent inner strength.
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
Head + legs + private
Cultural Context
Etymology
Spirit of the dead with horns. Ghost or evil spirit.
Symbolism
Evil spirit, fear, supernatural. Related to Japanese yokai culture and Setsubun exorcism.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents fearsome spiritual beings, objects of awe and fear in Japanese spiritual culture. Symbol of Setsubun exorcism.
Anime & Manga
鬼滅の刃
Demon Slayer
Cultural phenomenon exploring the boundary between human and demon, and family bonds
View on Amazon →地獄先生ぬ〜べ〜
Hell Teacher Nube
A teacher with an oni hand fights supernatural beings
View on Amazon →Games
鬼武者
Onimusha
Action game fighting demons with oni power in Sengoku era
View on Amazon →大神
Okami
Action game based on Japanese mythology, defeating yokai and oni
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
疑心暗鬼
ぎしんあんき
suspicion will raise bogies; once you suspect something, everything else will look suspicious; jumping at shadows; suspicion will raise bogies
神出鬼没
しんしゅつきぼつ
appearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments; elusive; phantom; appearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments
百鬼夜行
ひゃっきやぎょう
nightly procession of monsters, spirits, etc.; veritable pandemonium; large number of people plotting and doing evil; nightly procession of monsters, spirits, etc.
鬼哭啾啾
きこくしゅうしゅう
spine-chilling (like the wailing and weeping of a restless ghost); hair-raising; spine-chilling (like the wailing and weeping of a restless ghost)
鬼面仏心
きめんぶっしん
having the face of a devil and the heart of Buddha; having a stern face but a tender heart; having the face of a devil and the heart of Buddha
牛鬼蛇神
ぎゅうきだしん
wicked and perverse; weird and incoherent; wicked and perverse
神算鬼謀
しんさんきぼう
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme; inscrutable stratagem
鬼手仏心
きしゅぶっしん
compassionate ruthlessness; merciless scalpel of a merciful surgeon; a demon's hand and a Buddha's heart; compassionate ruthlessness
鬼に金棒
おににかなぼう
An oni with an iron club; Making something already strong even stronger; unstoppable
Proverbs & Idioms
鬼の目にも涙
おにのめにもなみだ
Even an oni's eyes have tears
Even the harshest person can be moved to compassion
心を鬼にする
こころをおににする
To make one's heart an oni
To steel oneself; to be deliberately harsh for someone's good