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) |
Japanese uses different terms for a demon depending on its nature. 悪魔 is commonly used to refer to a powerful and malevolent demon. 鬼 can refer to a traditional demon or ogre, but it is also used metaphorically to describe someone who is extremely strict, intense or obsessed with a task, such as a "work demon". 妖魔 is a more literary or archaic term for describing mysterious, supernatural monsters or demons. While not a direct form of demon, the term 妖怪 refers to a wide range of supernatural creatures in Japanese folklore, such as spirits, monsters or mischievous demons.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 悪魔 (akuma) is composed of 悪 (evil) and 魔 (magical being/demon).
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the type of being you are describing. 悪魔 (akuma) typically refers to a personified, often Christian-style devil or a high-level demonic entity. In contrast, 鬼 (oni) refers to a traditional Japanese ogre or troll-like creature. If you are talking about an evil spirit or the ghost of a deceased person, use 悪霊 (akuryō).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
デーモン (dēmon) is a katakana loanword from English. It is often used in fantasy media to sound more Western or in specific contexts like computer science (daemon processes).
How do you pronounce it?
akuma
Did you know?
- The 鬼 are the central figures of the 'Setsubun' festival, where people throw roasted soybeans while shouting 'demons out, luck in'.
- The Japanese word for 'demon', 鬼, is thought to be related to the verb 隠る, meaning 'to hide', reflecting the idea of a creature hidden from human sight.
- The term 悪魔 became the standard way to translate the Western concept of the 'Devil' after the introduction of Christianity to Japan.
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 Noh mask of 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 uses 鬼 to metaphorically describe a person who is a demon for work.
- 次は僕が鬼になりたい！I want to be the demon next!This sentence shows an example of someone wanting to be the demon using 鬼.Tatoeba #12689204 by urro, translation #12689205 by urro
- 魔王Demon King
- 悪魔の力Power of the Demon
- 妖怪たちDemons/Monsters
- 妖怪界Demon World
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Kenta are discussing a scary movie they just watched.
- 陽葵 Himariあの映画に出てきた悪魔は本当に怖かったね。Ano eiga ni detekita akuma wa hontō ni kowakatta ne.The demon in that movie was really scary, wasn't it?
- 健太 Kentaうん、見た目が不気味だったしね。Un, mitame ga bukimi datta shi ne.Yeah, it looked really eerie.
- 陽葵 Himari悪魔が鏡から出てくるシーンで叫んじゃったよ。Akuma ga kagami kara detekuru shīn de sakebunchatta yo.I screamed during the scene where the demon came out of the mirror.
- 健太 Kenta僕もびっくりしたよ。Boku mo bikkuri shita yo.I was surprised too.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
