Japanese Word for
悪魔akuma
devil · demon · evil spirit
Readings
Meaning
Devil, demon, evil spirit. 悪魔 combines 悪 (evil, bad) with 魔 (evil spirit, demon, magic). 魔 alone appears in many words related to the supernatural and dark magic.
Example words
魔法
mahō
magic, sorcery, witchcraft
鬼
oni
demon, ogre (Japanese folklore)
悪
aku
evil, wickedness, bad
魔王
maō
Demon King, Dark Lord
Japanese folklore features 鬼 (oni — demons/ogres) rather than Western-style devils. Oni are red or blue, carry iron clubs, and appear during Setsubun (節分) in February — when people throw beans shouting 鬼は外!福は内! (oni wa soto! fuku wa uchi! — "Out with the demons! In with the luck!"). 悪魔 came with Buddhist and later Western influences.
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