About
The character 鬼, denoting supernatural beings, originates from early Chinese concepts of the spirit world where it primarily referred to the souls of the dead, with its structural composition often analyzed as depicting a humanoid figure with an enlarged head to convey an otherworldly nature. Over time, its meaning shifted from a neutral term for ancestral spirits to one emphasizing malevolent or haunting presences, influenced by evolving cultural and religious ideas. In contemporary usage, while retaining its core association with ghosts and demons, the character also functions metaphorically to describe clandestine behavior or elusive phenomena, reflecting a semantic expansion from concrete spiritual entities to abstract qualities.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我看到了鬼。
这个房子有鬼。
她害怕鬼故事。
调皮鬼又恶作剧了。
电影里的鬼很恐怖。
传说那片森林经常闹鬼。
他饿得像鬼一样瘦。
尽管没有证据，许多人仍然相信鬼魂的存在。