The word 魔鬼 is formed through semantic compounding, where two characters with related meanings are combined to create a new, more specific concept. The first character, 魔 (mó), originally conveyed the idea of a demon or malevolent supernatural force, often influenced by Buddhist translations for "Mara", the tempter. The second, 鬼 (guǐ), means ghost or spirit, a malevolent restless soul from traditional Chinese belief. By fusing them, the compound 魔鬼 does not simply add the ideas together but synthesizes them, evoking a more powerful and fearsome entity, a diabolical or demonic devil that embodies both transcendent evil and a haunting, spiritual menace.