蜮 (yù) - a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, said to & metaphorically refers to a slanderer or a person

蜮Tone 4

yù ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

喻悦

蜮 · yù

a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, said to be a water-dwelling creature that can shoot sand at people, causing harm or illness;

metaphorically refers to a slanderer or a person who harms others secretly.

a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, said tometaphorically refers to a slanderer or a person

Usage highlights

ghost and 蜮sandwater 蜮be a ghost, be a 蜮the schemes of ghosts and 蜮蜮's sand

Synonyms

  • 鬼— ghost; often paired with 蜮 to mean a treacherous person
  • 妖— demon; evil spirit
  • 魅— evil spirit; ghost

Antonyms

  • 神— deity; god (benevolent supernatural being)
  • 仙— immortal; celestial being
  • 善— good; virtuous

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient texts describe the 蜮 as a sand-shooting creature (含沙射影的蜮).
  • He was accused of being a 鬼蜮 (guǐ yù), meaning a treacherous person.
  • In folklore, the 蜮 is said to inhabit rivers and marshes (水蜮).
  • The term 蜮 is used metaphorically for covert slanderers (为鬼为蜮).

Collocations

  • ghost and 蜮(鬼蜮)
  • sand-shooting 蜮(含沙射影的蜮)
  • water 蜮(水蜮)
  • be a ghost, be a 蜮(为鬼为蜮)
  • the schemes of ghosts and 蜮(鬼蜮伎俩)
  • 蜮's sand(蜮沙)

Idioms

  • To be ghosts and 蜮 (为鬼为蜮) — to be treacherous and malicious.
  • The tricks of ghosts and 蜮 (鬼蜮伎俩) — sinister and underhanded methods.
  • Shoot sand from a hidden place (含沙射影) — to make insinuations or slander covertly, originally associated with the 蜮.

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The 蜮 is a creature from Chinese mythology, often depicted as a water monster that harms people by shooting sand.
  • It is frequently used in classical literature as a metaphor for insidious slanderers or treacherous individuals.
  • The character is associated with themes of hidden danger and covert malice in Chinese cultural discourse.

FAQ