Japanese Word for

悪魔

akuma

devil · demon · evil spirit

Readings

  • 悪 ONアク・オaku / o
  • 悪 KUNわる(い)waru-i (bad, evil)
  • 魔 ONma

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.

魔法

mahō

magic, sorcery, witchcraft

oni

demon, ogre (Japanese folklore)

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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