魔 (mó) - Demon, devil, evil spirit & magic, supernatural power

魔Tone 2

mó ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

魔 · mó

Demon, devil, evil spirit;

magic, supernatural power;

obsession, addiction;

used to describe something extremely difficult or vexing.

Demon, devil, evil spiritmagic, supernatural powerobsession, addiction

Usage highlights

DevilMagicMagic powerDevil kingMagic mirrorMagic technique

Synonyms

  • 鬼— ghost, spirit (less powerful than demon)
  • 妖— monster, goblin
  • 怪— strange, monster

Antonyms

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

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was possessed by a demon (恶魔附体).
  • She practices black magic (魔法).
  • Video game addiction is a problem (游戏成魔).
  • That math problem is devilishly difficult (魔题).

Collocations

  • Devil(恶魔)
  • Magic(魔法)
  • Magic power(魔力)
  • Devil king(魔王)
  • Magic mirror(魔镜)
  • Magic technique(魔术)

Idioms

  • Demons and monsters dance wildly(群魔乱舞)
  • The demon's claws and devil's fangs(魔爪鬼牙)
  • One thought becomes a Buddha, one thought becomes a demon(一念成佛，一念成魔)
  • Fight demons and defeat evil(降妖伏魔)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally a Buddhist translation for 'māra', representing forces that obstruct enlightenment.
  • In Chinese folklore, demons are often depicted as malevolent supernatural beings that cause harm.
  • The concept extends metaphorically to describe addictions, obsessions, and extremely difficult challenges.

FAQ