魎 (liǎng) - Demonic spirit, ghost, monster & specifically refers to a type of mountain demon

魎Tone 3

liǎng ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

梁嘹

魎 · liǎng

Demonic spirit, ghost, monster;

specifically refers to a type of mountain demon or specter in Chinese mythology.

Demonic spirit, ghost, monsterspecifically refers to a type of mountain demon

Usage highlights

Mountain demons and water spritesDemons and monstersEvil spiritsGhosts and goblinsMonstrous apparitions

Synonyms

  • 鬼— ghost, spirit
  • 妖— demon, monster
  • 怪— monster, strange being
  • 魔— devil, evil spirit

Antonyms

  • 神— deity, god
  • 仙— immortal, celestial being
  • 佛— Buddha, enlightened one

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The forest was said to be haunted by mountain demons (魍魉).
  • Ancient texts describe various supernatural beings (魑魅魍魉).
  • He felt as if he had encountered a forest spirit (魍魉).

Collocations

  • Mountain demons and water sprites(魑魅魍魉)
  • Demons and monsters(魍魉鬼怪)
  • Evil spirits(魍魉之祟)
  • Ghosts and goblins(魍魉魑魅)
  • Monstrous apparitions(魍魉之影)

Idioms

  • All kinds of evil spirits(魑魅魍魉)
  • Demons and monsters running wild(魍魉横行)
  • To banish evil spirits(驱逐魍魉)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originates from ancient Chinese mythology as a type of mountain demon or specter that inhabits forests and wild places.
  • Often mentioned together with 魑 (chī) as 魑魅魍魉 to refer to various evil spirits and monsters.
  • Appears in classical texts like《左传》and《山海经》describing supernatural beings.
  • In modern usage, represents mysterious, malevolent supernatural forces in folklore.

FAQ