魑 (chī) - Mountain demon & evil spirit

魑Tone 1

chī ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

魑 · chī

Mountain demon;

evil spirit;

one of various malevolent supernatural beings in Chinese folklore.

Mountain demonevil spiritone of various malevolent supernatural beings in Chinese

Usage highlights

Mountain demons and evil spiritsAll kinds of evil spiritsMountain demonDemon godForest demonEvil mountain spirit

Synonyms

  • 魅— evil spirit; demon
  • 鬼— ghost; spirit
  • 妖— demon; monster
  • 魔— devil; evil spirit

Antonyms

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

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Ancient texts describe mountain demons (魑魅) haunting remote wilderness.
  • The forest was said to be inhabited by evil spirits (魑魅魍魉).
  • He painted mythical mountain demons (山魑) in his artwork.
  • Legends tell of mountain spirits (魑神) guarding hidden treasures.

Collocations

  • Mountain demons and evil spirits(魑魅)
  • All kinds of evil spirits(魑魅魍魉)
  • Mountain demon(山魑)
  • Demon god(魑神)
  • Forest demon(林魑)
  • Evil mountain spirit(魑怪)

Idioms

  • All kinds of evil spirits(魑魅魍魉)
  • Mountain demons and water spirits(魑魅水怪)
  • Demons appearing in broad daylight(魑魅现形)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originates from ancient Chinese mythology as malevolent mountain spirits that haunt wilderness areas.
  • Often appears in classical literature paired with other demonic characters like 魅, 魍, 魉.
  • Represents the unknown dangers and malevolent forces believed to inhabit remote mountains and forests.
  • Used metaphorically in modern Chinese to describe evil people or corrupt influences.

FAQ