About
The character 妖 is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component 女 indicates a connection to women, while the phonetic component 夭 contributes the sound and originally depicted a bending or dancing figure. Its earliest meanings referred to a woman of bewitching or seductive beauty. This notion of extraordinary allure gradually extended to the supernatural and malevolent, leading the character to denote demons, monsters, or anything strange and heretical. Today, it primarily describes evil spirits or anomalous phenomena that disrupt the natural order, while also retaining the older sense of dangerous glamour.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
那个故事里有妖怪。
森林里传出妖怪的叫声。
这部电影的特效让妖怪很逼真。
她打扮得有点妖艳，不太适合这个场合。
传说中，那个妖女会用歌声迷惑水手。
这股妖风来得突然，把晾的衣服都吹跑了。
她的舞姿带着一种妖娆的美。
他试图用妖言惑众，来掩盖自己的罪行。