About
The character 妖, whose traditional form remains identical in structure, is etymologically composed of the semantic component 女 (woman) and the component 夭, which historically served a phonetic function but also carried connotations of being young, tender, or, in some contexts, dying young. Its earliest meanings were not directly tied to gender but referred to unnatural or strange phenomena in nature, considered omens or aberrations. Over time, particularly within classical texts and Confucian-influenced discourse, the meaning shifted significantly to become heavily associated with women who were alluring yet perceived as dangerously seductive or outside social norms, thus linking the feminine component with a sense of dangerous enchantment. This semantic focus on unnatural allure and ominous influence eventually broadened again, allowing the term to describe a wide range of supernatural entities, from malevolent spirits to enchanting fairies, and even to characterize an ethereal, captivating beauty in objects or landscapes, demonstrating a complex layering of its original sense of anomaly with culturally constructed ideas of feminine danger and otherworldly charm.
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。