Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 悪魔 | akuma | [a̠kɯ̟ma̠] (narrow) |
| 悪霊 | akuryō | [a̠kɯ̟ɾʲo̞ː] (narrow) [a̠kɯ̟ɾe̞ː] (narrow) |
| 鬼 | oni | [o̞ɲ̟i] (narrow) |
| デーモン | dēmon | [de̞ːmõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 妖魔 | yōma | [jo̞ːma̠] (narrow) |
The term for demon varies depending on whether you are describing a Western-style devil, a Japanese ogre or a malevolent spirit. While 悪魔 describes an evil being, 鬼 is often used metaphorically to describe a person who is incredibly intense, strict or obsessed with a task.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 悪魔 is composed of the characters for 'evil' (悪) and 'demon/devil' (魔).
Which one should you use?
悪魔 often refers to a Western-style devil or a purely evil entity. In contrast, 鬼 refers to a Japanese ogre or demon typically depicted with horns and a club. If you mean a malevolent ghost or an evil spirit rather than a physical demon, use 悪霊. For a direct phonetic loanword from the English 'demon' frequently seen in gaming or fantasy contexts, use デーモン. 妖魔 is also a term used for such beings.
How do you pronounce it?
akuma
Did you know?
- The phonetic loanword デーモン is sometimes used in Japanese technical contexts to refer to a background process in computing, borrowing from the 'daemon' terminology coined at MIT.
- While 鬼 is often translated as 'demon', it specifically refers to ogre-like creatures that are central to the traditional 'Setsubun' festival, where people throw roasted beans to drive them away.
- The Noh theater mask known as 'Hannya' uses the concept of 鬼 to represent a woman whose jealousy and obsession have physically transformed her into a demon.
Examples in context
- 般若とは鬼女の能面の事です。Hannya refers to the Noh mask of a female demon.This sentence explains that Hannya is a specific type of Noh mask representing a female demon using 鬼.Tatoeba #11211738 by ITA, translation #12613043 by urro
- 彼女は仕事の鬼だ。She is a demon for work.This sentence demonstrates the metaphorical use of 鬼 to describe someone who is a demon at work.
- 次は僕が鬼になりたい！I want to be the demon next!This sentence shows a person expressing a desire to become a 鬼.Tatoeba #12689204 by urro, translation #12689205 by urro
- 悪魔は伝統的に悪や邪悪な力に関連付けられる存在です。Demons are traditionally associated with evil or malevolent forces.
- 鬼の姿をした悪者は、子供たちにお化けの話をするときに頻繁に登場します。Characters resembling demons frequently appear when talking to children about ghost stories.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are watching a fantasy movie in a cafe.
- 美咲 Misakiあの映画に出てくるのは悪魔ですか？Ano eiga ni detekuru no wa akuma desu ka?Is that thing in the movie a demon?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、恐ろしい悪魔が登場します。Hai, osoroshii akuma ga toujou shimasu.Yes, a terrifying demon appears.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんは、その悪魔が怖くないですか？Hiroto-san wa, sono akuma ga kowakunai desu ka?Hiroto, aren't you afraid of that demon?
- 大翔 Hiroto映画の悪魔なので、大丈夫ですよ。Eiga no akuma nanode, daijoubu desu yo.It's just a movie demon, so I'm fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “demon” translations and entries 悪魔, 悪霊, 鬼, デーモン, 妖魔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries デーモン, 悪魔, 鬼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
