About
The character 魖 is a phono-semantic compound: the ghost radical 鬼 on the left signals a connection to spirits and demons, while the phonetic 虛 on the right gives the reading "xū". 虛, meaning "empty" or "void", also contributes a semantic overtone of incorporeality or ethereality. Historically coined for a specific type of malicious spirit or apparition, the character is a specialized term used in traditional folklore and classical literature for such malevolent beings.
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