The word "聊斋志异" is formed from four characters: "聊" refers to Liaocheng, a place associated with the author, "斋" means studio or study, together "聊斋" naming the author's studio; "志" means records or annals; and "异" means strange or supernatural, so the combined term literally translates to "Strange Tales from the Liaozhai Studio", directly describing its content as recorded supernatural stories from that studio.