Definitions
evil spirit; goblin; witchcraft; variant of 妖[yāo]; common erroneous variant of 祆[xiān] Ormazda
Etymology
About
祅, a phono-semantic compound, pairs the semantic radical 示 (altar, spirit, divine matters) on the left with the phonetic component 夭 on the right, which also carries meanings of premature death, disaster, or bending. The character originally denoted ominous signs and supernatural calamities, bizarre events believed to be caused by spiritual or demonic forces disrupting the natural world. Its meaning later expanded to cover various disasters, portents, and evil influences of supernatural origin. The altar radical points to the historical belief that such worldly catastrophes resulted from the displeasure of spirits or the presence of malevolent entities demanding appeasement.
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